Raven
by bloomsburry
Summary: Working side by side with the most powerful Anbu was exhilarating. The danger that their profession provided had been Sakura's subsistence. However, the danger also brought forth more than a hair-shearing circumstances. AU/Non-mass Warning:Gore & Violence
1. Blind Paranoia

**_Disclaimer:_** Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto but he lent me these outstanding characters to me, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Itachi, to make this fic.

**Warning: _Medical terminologies which are hard to grasp if you're not listening to your anatomy or you haven't studied anatomy yet. Other information is mostly from my health care lecture and laboratory lessons. _**

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**_Title: _Raven**

**_Pairing:_** **Itasaku**

**_Genre:_** **Angst/ Romance  
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**Non-Massacre and Alternate Universe**

**Chapter 1  
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This is a treat before I could continue to write the rest of the stories. I already with the newest chapters and even the prologue of Dance of Seduction. I'll be posting it after I finish the chapters and the prologue one by one. I don't have classes this coming December 1, so I have plenty of time writing my stories. I'm also going to finish A kiss between friends this Saturday. So please be patient with me....I'm still busy with some of my school activities, but I do have some time to write my than you think.**_  
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**_Summary_**

_Working side by side with the most powerful Anbu was exhilarating. The danger that their profession provided had been Sakura's subsistence. However, the danger also brought forth more than hair-shearing circumstances._

**Warning:_ Rape, Violence and Gore._**

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"Stay here" the man behind the wolf mask ordered, strands of his raven black hair cascading in disarray over his wide shoulder, he then turn and disappeared from her sight.

As her Anbu captain, Haruno Sakura could only nod in response, her heart thudding fiercely against her chest when she felt Itachi's genjutsu ensconced the area.

An ominous silence descended inside the cave where they were hiding. The sound of the waterfall was far off the background as Sakura's head radiated with excruciating pain. The gash on her head that she had gain after the explosion was bleeding freely, staining her pink locks with streams of ruby blood. Her left eye was bruised and damage, red patches surrounding the right portion of her conjunctiva, indicating that she has a Subconjunctiva hemorrhage.

The corner of her left eye was becoming purplish which had resulted when she was thrown from the impact of the explosion and into a bark with the left side of her face hitting the rough skin of the tree. However, her other team mate had not fared well from the explosion and had suffered more damage than she or her Captain had.

The explosion had torn a chunk of flesh from his left lower arm while he had suffered a third degree burn from his left thigh to his upper torso, scorching his flesh with fiery heat and exposing burnt flesh in its wake.

The explosion had heralded their doomed as Sakura had found herself at her limits to heal her unconscious comrade while her Captain had kept the enemies at bay; providing Sakura enough time to heal her fallen comrade. But their time was limited, and Sakura was left with no choice but to defend herself.

Three dead rouge-nins later, Sakura had resumed her work and healed her team mate. She had been wrapping a sterile cloth over her patient's burnt lower and upper left limbs when she was interrupted again. Though this time, it wasn't an enemy, but her Anbu Captain. After assuring that neither was a Clone or a trap, her Captain immediately hustled her into the rock shelter hidden behind the plunge waterfall. The rock shelter was shape like a shallow cave, cramming three people inside when Sakura and her captain had carefully laid there unconscious comrade inside.

After that, her Anbu Captain had left her with a simple and quite command.

"**_Stay here."_**

"Stay here." Sakura repeated under her breath as she tried to repress her growing apprehension.

"What is he going to do?" Sakura whispered, staring at her injured team mate, who merely lay there unconscious; free from the anxiety that Sakura was suffering at the moment.

Sakura heard an explosion from the distance, making her heart leap towards her throat when she heard the maniacal laughter that soon followed.

"_Deidara,"_ Sakura thought as she recalled the name of the man who had blown a chunk from her team mate. She glanced towards the silent man on the ground, who was covered with loose, snowy white sterile cloth from his leg up to the side of his face.

"_The artist bomber,"_ Sakura gathered after she had watched the blonde threw the clay bombs over them while perched in his huge clay bird.

Sakura heard another explosion, stirring her team mate awake as the cave shook by the force of the explosion. Uchiha Shisui groans, while Sakura's adventurine eyes had darkened when her mind went haywire with her overly creative imagination. The vision of torn limbs and flesh scattered on the ground with blood trickling from the torn appendages and organs made her stomach turn; more so when she imagines the corpse was no other than her Anbu Captain, Uchiha Itachi.

"Damn that man!" Sakura cursed as she knelt down beside her groaning team mate. Uchiha Shisui was finally fully awake after he had drifted in and out of consciousness for the past 10 hours.

Despite Sakura's exhausted state, she still got the time to vent her frustration over her unperturbed Anbu Captain. The Uchiha was, after all the major pain in the behind when she had joined their team. He had always ordered her to stay behind and not involve herself with the fight, and as his substitute-subordinate of the team, Sakura had conceded without uttering any opposition to the unfairness of the situation. It was unlike her to just submit to the Uchiha's order, yet she nevertheless did it with great reluctance.

"_I don't understand him at all!"_ Sakura thought grumpily, running her medic hands carefully over the bandages which were beginning to stain with blood from the open wounds. Her patient continues to groan, and Sakura could only wonder how her team mate could have survived the blast without blowing up his entire body.

She has to thank her Captain for that. The wolf mask Anbu had swooped towards her other team mate before Shisui was eradicated in to oblivion. With his blinding speed, Uchiha Itachi had survived the blast with just a singed in his hair.

Sakura would have chortled at the Uchih's simmering hair, but she did not have the time to do so as their enemies had engaged them into another full time battle. They had taken down three more enemies while Shisui was incapacitated. Protecting their fallen team mate while fighting had been a difficult task, yet they had gone through it with no fatal wounds.

However there were two rouge-nins who had proven to be a difficult opponent. One was the blonde artist bomber while the other one was a red head puppeteer, and Sakura had to admit that the red head was quite handsome. He had even successfully distracted her by just bestowing an angelic smile, which would have been fatal if she hadn't dodged the poisonous senbons on time.

Handling rouge-nins with an angelic smile was far more dangerous than she had imagined. But damn, she couldn't help it if he was one hell of a male specimen. She would rather much prefer fighting the cute blonde than the hot red head, though the thought of asking her Captain to change opponents had pried the idea from her mind. Sakura already knew that Sasuke's older brother was far more frightening than her shishou's fury and Ibiki's severe stare combine.

Sakura couldn't handle Itachi's oppressing silence. It was quite unnerving when she had encountered it first hand after violating his commands.

Sakura's head whipped to the side to stare at her team mate. The wounded Uchiha tried to sit up but Sakura prevented him, placing a gentle yet firm hand on his shoulder.

"Don't move Shisui-san." Sakura ordered softly, pushing the Uchiha back on the ground, her medic bag and kunai pouch elevating his left upper and lower limbs, allowing blood flow to his burnt limbs, while his head lay on the cold ground.

"You'll open your wounds." Sakura explained as his right eye focus on her, the left side of his face was heavily bandage. His nerve endings was completely burn, preventing him to use his left eye and from feeling any sensation or any pain in all other areas of his scorched skin. But despite that that knowledge, as a medic-nin, Sakura still have to rate her patient's pain threshold. It was an utmost priority to make her patient as comfortable and pain-free as possible.

"Shisui-san," Sakura said softly, trying to prevent him from moving too much and at the same time watching for any sign of shock. "How are you feeling?"

Shisui stopped squirming underneath her firm grip and stare at her with a hint of amusement.

"I'm fine Sakura." Shisui spoke hoarsely, his throat dry while his lips were parched. Being burn like a stake could do that to you, but drinking water was out of the question. It was medics-orders.

"But I'll be more than fine if you let me sit up, Sakura." Shisui added as he tried to move again, raising his right elbow up while his left side remain limp on his side. The nerve endings on his left lower and upper extremities were evidently damage. Sakura gathered placing a hand on his right shoulder, pushing him back down.

"I'm sorry Shisui-san but I can't allow you to do that," Sakura replied firmly, inserting more force in her hand to push him back on the ground. "You suffered a third degree burn, moving around would only worsen your current state—"

"I'll be fine Sakura." Shisui assured her, though Sakura was far from assured.

Sakura shook her head and sighed. She had healed Uchiha's before, and one thing that she had learned from the experience. They were a stubborn lot, but Sakura was unyielding.

"No, Shisui-san." The Uchiha scowled at her.

Sakura ignore it and resume checking the sterile cloth wrapped around the burnt areas. Blood was seeping through the cloth wrapped around his left arm. The white cloth wrapped in a recurrent bandage to support his missing left hand was absorbing the blood and doing its part to prevent any infection.

Shisui was fine as far as she was concern, his wounds would slowly heal in matter of months, if they survive that it. Sakura hadn't healed his burnt skin or even knit his wounds due to her chakra depletion. So she had resulted to treating him the normal way, while reserving the rest of her chakra for fighting.

The ground shook as they heard another explosion, dust and pebbles showered above their heads when the tumult reverberated through the rock shelter.

"He's out there, isn't he?" Shisui asked quietly as he craned his head to the side, watching the curtain of clear water slapped against the eroded rocks. Itachi's genjutsu was still a useful fortification, but it would be a matter of time before it would disintegrate when the genjutsu caster get critically injured. Itachi maybe a powerful shinobi, but the state he was in, lack of sleep and low in chakra would force him to his knees before he could defeat their formidable enemies.

"Hai," Sakura replied, following his gaze, her eyes darkening "He's out there."

The cave was silent as they listen to the explosions and the maniacal laughter drifting towards them.

Sakura's head jerked to the side when she felt Shisui move. Grasping his uninjured shoulder, she forced him back down, her eyes flashing in warning.

"You can't go out there Shisui-san," Sakura scolded him, glaring at the Uchiha. "You're still injured."

"That bastard is out there, Sakura," Shisui said through gritted teeth, his eyes squinting and glaring back at her. "He's going to kill himself if I don't help him."

"I know that Shisui-san." Sakura snapped at him, already knowing that their Anbu Captain was a piece of work when it comes to risking any possible situation just to reach his desired goal. Uchiha Itachi was reckless sometimes when he tried hard not to.

"Have faith in him," Sakura tried to soothe her irate team mate, who had activated his sharingan, trying to intimidate her by its deadly gaze.

"He's your Anbu Captain after all." She said staring at his sharingan dead on.

"He's your Captain too." Shisui pointed out to her while Sakura stared blankly at him.

"Yes, but only for this mission." Sakura said as she stood up suddenly, surprising Shisui who slumped on the ground after Sakura had pushed him hard.

"I'm only here to fill Inuzuka-san's post." She reminded him, her back to him as she listened outside. The explosions had stopped, the maniacal laughter had ceased, making Sakura tensed with dread.

The deafening silence could only mean two things.

Either Itachi had successfully taken out the artist bomber.

Or

Itachi had been obliterated by the explosion and their enemies are currently searching for them right now.

With a sense of foreboding, Sakura move, her Captain would need her medical skills if he was injured and he would need her if he loses all his chakra. Fighting against those two powerful rouge-nins would be fatal. Shisui was already out from harms way, and sakura was not going to let the Uchiha expend himself for their sake.

"Shisui-san," Sakura said as she took a couple of steps forward, the drops of waterfall splashing on the jagged rocks and soaking her ninja shoes when she paused near the rivulets of clear water.

"Don't move." Sakura whispered, sidling towards the entrance beside the corner edge of the rock shelter where it was dry, her eyes straining towards the hanging valley near the waterfall "I'll help Itachi out. You don't have to worry."

Sakura heard a distinct snort and slowly turn towards the man behind her with a frown on her face.

"What's funny?" She asked curiously, watching closely as Shisui shook his head in amusement which totally puzzled her.

"You," Shisui replied smiling almost bemusedly.

"Why?" Sakura's brows knitted, not really comprehending what the jest was all about.

"You're going against Itachi's orders again."

Sakura scowled at him.

"You would have gone after him if I hadn't stopped you." Sakura retorted.

"Yeah, but he was the one who told you to stay behind." Shisui replied shaking his head. "I heard him… though not clearly"

"He said that you should stay behind to baby sit me." He added massaging his throbbing head with his uninjured hand, his face looking sideways at the pink haired medic who was glaring fiercely at him.

"You already know that I can't allow you to move around!" Sakura snapped at him. "And if you are, can you possibly defeat an enemy in your current state?"

Sakura queried mockingly, arching her brow at his form.

Shisui did not reply, his eyes staring blankly at her, already knowing that the kunoichi would never back down from the argument.

"Just what I've thought," Sakura smiled sweetly at the dumbfounded man. "I'll protect your precious Itachi-kun for you then."

Sakura turn to leave, waving her hand behind her.

"Ja ne, Shisui-san!"

She did not wait for Shisui to reply and jumped out from the rock shelter towards the outcropping, running against gravity with only a modicum of chakra to support her weight. Her feet slipped from the wet surface of the rock but Sakura easily maneuvered herself before she could plummet down into the rocks at the base of the water fall, which were covered by splash back of the waterfall.

Grasping the bedrocks, she let her body swing to the side and landed above her with ease. Her knee bent on the ground, her heel touching her buttocks while her other right knee was drawn to her chest with her right feet firmly planted on the ground, gloved palms pressed on the ground.

The woman with the cat mask surveyed the area, her face becoming grim as her adventurine orbs met total distraction.

The area was clearly destroyed by the blonde's explosion. Trees were uprooted and there was a huge crater at the center. Smoke was rising from the charred debris, while fire continue to blaze over the surrounding trees, creating a brush fire. The Waterfall Village was windy, easily fanning the flames to spread around. The fire would not die down until someone extinguishes it. Red and orange fire consuming the whole forest.

Sakura could see smoke and rising from every direction as she stood to her full 5'6 height, still there was no sign of the blond bomber and her black haired Captain.

_"Itachi,"_ Sakura thought worriedly, then started running towards the trees, her adrenaline pumping in her veins as she run slowly than what she was accustom to.

Someone had finally noticed her presence and was now making his way towards her. Sakura's chakra level was dangerously low, and defeating this enemy would be harder for her, though the thought of her Captain lying unconscious and near death, made her determine.

Sakura would defeat this enemy before she could help her stupid Captain.

She successfully hid herself through the thick foliage of trees without a skirmish. The smell of ashes and burnt wood surrounded her. Fire was blazing near her hiding place, her back pressed closely to the trunk as she craned her neck to the side, listening for her enemy's approach.

_"Itachi you better be alive."_ Sakura thought grimly as she unsheathed her katana, the only weapon that she had with her. She had forgotten that she had used her kunai pouch and medic bag to elevate Shisui burnt limbs, but she did not dare go back to retrieved the items.

The blade smoothly sliding from its sheathe, a soft grating sound was the only thing she heard along with the thudding of her heart as she took the katana from her back.

She could feel the enemy was moving in on her.

Sakura would have to use her black katana, the two kunais and three shuriken attached to her arm guards as the means of survival.

If this was how faith had gotten her, then she would also have to hand her future to faith.

Dead or alive, she would still fight.

This was how Sakura lives her life.

Danger had become Sakura's subsistence. Surviving would come after she faces danger.

Death was never an option to Sakura.

Adrenaline was pumping in her veins as Sakura went out with her black katana raised before her. She leap on the air for a surprise attack, her black katana glinting as the sun hit the metal.

She could see bellowing black cloak as she came down on her enemy, her feet barely touching the ground when she swung her black katana into a deadly arched.

The silence was broken by the clung of metal against metal as their weapons meet, wind blowing against them.

Sakura's eyes widen at the person, her hands straining to keep the kunai in place.

"You!" Sakura growled her eyes flashing with deadly intent as she gazed at the bored looking man.

"Konichiwa…… Onna"

* * *

A gloved hand reach out to pick out the thin deadly metal on his forehead, droplets of blood seeping from the wound, staining the pale face hidden behind the mask while ruby eyes remain blank.

The porcelain mask started to crack before it slowly fell out, the senbon that pierce the mask descended along with the broken mask to the ground soundlessly, the thin and small deadly weapon softly bouncing on the smooth grass before settling down.

Streaks of ruby blood stream down from the cut on the man's forehead, sweat glistening the man's face as he stared at the dead man at his feet. A kunai stuck out revoltingly from the dead man's skull, pools of red cradled the man's glorious blond hair, his face bathed with blood and smeared with dirt.

The man's azure eyes were open, staring unseeingly at the clear blue sky; lifeless.

Uchiha Itachi stared impassively at the dead body, a feeling of grudging respect welled up inside him after recalling the battle between them.

The blond rouge-nin had proven to be a difficult enemy after he had tried to dodge all the explosives thrown at him. He had used the power of his kekei genkei to evade all the explosives. However, engaging a battle with his enemy high on the air had complicated things. He nevertheless came out a plan despite the hard time the artist bomber had occupied him with his explosives.

Itachi had not wasted his time in bringing his enemy down. He had used himself as a diversion while his clone had thrown the explosives tags attached to the kunai towards the huge clay bird. His clone had bid his time to ensure that the enemy was within throwing range. The explosive tags were faked. Though his enemy had thought not.

The blonde bomber was proven to be even deadlier when he was on foot. The rouge-nin had concealed his presence to him while launching his fatal explosives towards his direction.

The battle had been against two coldly calculating shinobi's. Each has their own weaknesses and strengths. Itachi was a close range combatant while his enemy had been an expert in long range attacks. Though Itachi's god-like speed was nothing compared to his opponent, and had used it to his advantage.

Thus, he had successfully ended the life of his enemy with a thrust of a kunai, but the blonde had not die without leaving Itachi unscathed.

The artist bomber, as he had often called himself, had thrown a senbon into his direction before Itachi had landed the fatal blow into his skull. They were both exhausted and almost out of chakra, though Itachi had gain more of his energy when he had eaten the medi'c unpleasant soldier pills. The pill had been the last one in the medic's bag, boosting one third of his chakra levels and enabling him to use half of the capacity of his kekei genkei.

He had searched the blonde's location beforehand while dodging his attacks. Itachi had found him later, crouching in all fours in an bush. He had promptly attack him with a shower of shurikens followed by a fire jutsu. The rouge-nin had skittered away from his attack and had catapulted with one of his explosives. The spider explosives had instantly attached to his limbs while he had hastily substituted himself into a log. Itachi then went after the rouge-nin, who was just about to mount into his huge clay bird when Itachi had thrown a real explosive tag at him.

A huge explosion had destroyed 3/4 of the area while he had suffered a 3rd degree burn on his back leg and a part of his arm, his Anbu vest had been red hot and he had thrown it aside without a thought. He had been an ample distance away from the site before the explosive tag ignited.

Itachi had thought that it would have killed the rouge-nin, but it appeared to have haven't.

In fact the blonde had used a clone to deliberately lure him to that site while the real artist bomber had sent a small spider to attach in his hair. It was imperceptibly small, and what was more is that it had been specially molded to hide its chakra. It was an ingenious piece of art.

Yet it hadn't detonated. His enemy had chosen to delay Itachi's death with the thought of seeing him go up in flames. Itachi on the other hand had stopped the vision from happening. The blonde had appeared in front of him, grinning with triumph as he told him about the spider on his hair. Itachi had stood there, intently staring at his enemy, who had boasted the leash that he had in Itachi's life.

That was the blonde's mistake. Itachi had used his genjutsu on him while he had performed a swift hand seals for a clone jutsu, his spinning sharingan concealed beneath his mask. The genjutsu had encompassed the area, undetected by the blabbering blonde. The genjutsu had provided sufficient time for Itachi to perform the clone jutsu, his clone immediately taking action and had leap behind the oblivious blonde.

Itachi had let the genjutsu dissolve and watched as azure eyes widen in realization before his clone had forcefully twisted the man's arms on his back.

He had been a walking time bomb when he had swoop over his enemy, his intention clear. The kunai had gleamed threateningly on his hand when the blonde had spit out the senbon.

The senbon piercing through his Anbu mask and cutting shallowly into his skin, the senbon would have been deadly if he had been a meter away from the man. Swiftly and with deadly precision, he had raised his kunai and buried it into the man's skull, the sound of the metal sliding into hard bone softly rung, the thrust killing his enemy instantly.

Itachi's clone had disappeared after he had done his part, while he continues to stare at the man who had gain his respect as one of the powerful enemies that he had fought and killed.

_"Deidara."_ Itachi recalled perceptibly, garnering the skills and the rouge-nins intellectual capacity into his mind.

This man would be remembered.

"Hn." Itachi murmured softly, wind whipping his unruly locks, a white lone spider still clinging to the strands of his raven hair, immobile and went unnoticed by the silent Anbu Captain.

* * *

"_What happen?"_ Sakura thought groaning, she roll to the side as she felt pain throbbing on her chest and head. She clutched the wound near her sternum, a kunai was lodged into her Anbu gear, piercing her skin while blood was seeping through her black Anbu shirt and staining her vest with its gruesome color.

She hissed as she slowly pulled out the kunai from her vest and threw it away from her. Gingerly, she sat up, her hand above the wound on her chest, just next to her heart. The wound was not deep, only piercing through her epidermis and into her subcutaneous tissue, but it was enough to cause pain. Her Anbu vest had kept the kunai from going deeply into her adipose tissues and towards her visceral organs. And judging by the depth of the kunai after it was thrust into her Anbu vest; her enemy had intended to just wound her, not kill her, but for what purpose? Only the most diabolical man would know.

But who had been her enemy?

Sakura's mind was foggy. She could not recall the details that lead her there.

Sakura swayed to side, suddenly feeling dizzy and weak. Something was definitely out of place as her head pounded. She fell to her side, her body landed with a loud flopped on the ground, while her face brushing against the blades of grass.

"_Where am I?"_ Sakura thought, gazing at the green grass near her eyes. _"What am I doing here?"_

Cold sweat broke over her body, her eyes dilated and her face flashed with color. Sakura suddenly felt unusually hot, and she knew that it was not the result of the sun, which was gently basking a warm glow all around her.

A shadow fell over her form, she could see flapping black cloak, nicely manicured feet encased in violet and gray ninja shoes close to her face.

Memories began flooding into her mind, her eyes darkening in comprehension.

This man was a member of the underground organization called 'Akatsuki', headed by the brother of their target. Their target had been successfully eliminated, culminating their Anbu mission. The mission was just a piece of cake for Sakura, having been shun to the side while her other team mates got to show their formidable moves. Not until they had crossed the border of the waterfall village that they realized that there was a malignant presence dispatching rouge-nins to have their heads in a silver platter, literally.

The death of their target had brought the wrath of an underground lord. As it is, enemies swarmed and descended after them when they had fled the crime. Entirely disarming them by their sheer numbers.

The information about the blood connection between their target and the underground lord hadn't been divulged into their bingo book, which hasn't been updated recently. It was only revealed to them after her Anbu Captain had captured and tortured one of the rouge-nins.

It had chilled her blood when she had watched her Anbu Captain torture the rouge-nin. Blood curdling cries rent the air when the Uchiha had enforced the genjutsu on the incapacitated man. The man had been impaled to a tree by two glinting katanas on each of the man's palm, courtesy of her other team mate, who had watched the torture with grim satisfaction.

Sakura had been compelled to watch, though she hadn't enjoyed the gruesome sight to say the least. She almost gagged when the man had been disemboweled after the Uchiha was done torturing him. This was Sakura's first Anbu mission and she had been assigned to Itachi's team when their other team mate had been ill disposed. But it was not the first time that she had seen vital organs protruding from torn flesh or blood pouring out from the fresh wound.

Itachi's unforgiving torture apparently wasn't fruitless; her captain had gained what he needed and cast a silent order towards Shisui before he left. Their enemy was indeed a vengeful Underground lord.

Sakura had been pale as she watched the entire proceedings, her Captain had not even acknowledged her presence as he disappeared to scout the area and hide their tracks.

She had been left with Shisui, who had finished what her Captain could not accomplish. He had swiped a long dagger across the man's torso, cutting off flesh and muscles with deadly precision; blood had spurted out from the wound and intestines had slide out from the man's open stomach to land on the ground, staining the ground with blood.

Sakura had turned blue; her hand had automatically gone to her mouth to stop herself from throwing up. She had encountered worst sight in her life as a medic-nin, though it was nothing like she had seen. The sight of the man screaming in excruciating pain could not be compared to the patients she healed. The rouge-nin was going to die, and the medic instinct in her had made her took a step forward to heal the man.

However, all of it diminished as she watched Shisui slit the man's throat to end his misery. The man had gurgled and choked in his own blood before his suffering was relieved, joining the rest of his fallen comrades who lay scattered on the ground, bathing in the puddles of their own blood.

It has been more than three days for them to lose their pursuers as they took the long route towards Konoha. They had successfully diverted their enemies by her Anbu Captain's ingenious stratagem, but accomplishing such difficult feat was evidently futile as their enemies continue attacking them relentlessly in all direction; easily gaining advantage when her team became imperceptibly tired and low in chakra.

The wrath of the Underground lord would never be put to rest until they were dead.

They had divided the task for patrolling and securing the perimeters when they set a camp. Two of them would keep watch while the other one would rest and refuel their chakra. It was mostly Sakura who was given time to rest since her medic skills would be of used later. There was never a time that both Uchiha had let their guard down. Not even when they were sleeping, which had been seldom for her other team mate and rare for her Anbu Captain. It must have been years of being an Anbu that made her Captain a little paranoid; suddenly becoming alert by a small sound that would disturb his semiconscious sleep.

But if it wasn't for her Captain's outstanding leadership and his trifle paranoia, she wouldn't have last long if she was alone in this mission. Sakura had been sleeping beside the hearth when an explosion had awoken her. The explosion had been a sing that their enemies had unscrupulously discovered the trap that they had set around their camp. Their new enemies was proven to be formidable opponents as a violent battle followed after the explosion, which had left Sakura completely depleted, only using a spare chakra for her to heal Shisui.

The burns and missing hand was the gift from the Artist bomber who had thrown a clay spider that had attached to Shisui's arm. Her other team mate had been unconscious after that, while her Captain and she had fought. Yet despite her Captain's ingenuity, superb fighting style and his perfect wield over his kekei genkei , adding to his sense of invincibility. Itachi was first and foremost a man who had been deprive of sleep and could not afford to lose his already fluctuating chakra nevertheless fought to protect them, enshrouding them with a genjutsu to hide them from their enemies.

Sakura however, choose to ignore her Captain's orders and thus resulting to her current predicament, with her lying on the ground and a small superficial wound that left her abnormally weak. Something must be in that kunai that triggered a negative effect on her body. Every muscle on her body contracted, releasing a huge quantity of lactic acid that resulted to her muscle exhaustion. She could no longer move, even if she wanted to.

Every cell in Sakura's body was tense as she waited for the man to make a move, which did not take long as she was suddenly lifted from the ground; a hand pulling the roots of her hair painfully as she stared at the man, her neck forcefully craned and her knees awkwardly bent underneath her.

Sakura's body was becoming numbed as the lactic acid did an about turn and attacked her muscles, disabling her to move.

Long fingers, reach out to touch her face, caressing her cheek and neck; her Anbu mask lay broken on the ground after the man had taken it from her earlier. Her heart shaped face upturned to the figure; an ominous silhouette that held her life in his hands.

"Onna." the man murmured, grasping her nape.

Sakura's eyes widen, her heart pounded against her chest. She watched as a sadistic smile appeared across the man's well sculpted lips.

"Sleep."

She heard him whisper before dark spots erupted before her eyes; her body went limp and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

* * *

Sakura saw blood. Her hands were stain with the ghastly color.

Blood was pouring out from the ends of her shortened hair, strands of pink hair floating on the sea of her own blood, her hair darkening into a shade of red as it bled from the cut while her blood eerily glowed through the darkness.

Sakura was in excruciating pain. A kunai gripped in her hand as she screamed in pure horror. The strands of hair in her hands bled, staining her hand. Her hair sticking into her neck and face as it drain the blood from her body.

Blood and tears pouring down her face, her knelt figure soaked with blood as her echoes continue to resound around the darkness.

The screams of pure agony went unheard.

-----

Sakura jerked awake, her heart pounding into a fast contralto, adventurine eyes landed on the patch of grass in front of her, sweat beading her forehead and her skin unusually warm.

She stared at the grass for a moment, trying to calm her racing heart.

_"It was just a dream"_ Sakura thought tiredly, gazing at the grass through heavy lidded eyes, unusually drain.

_"But what a weird dream that was,"_ Sakura mused, rolling to stare at the clear blue sky above her _"Why would my hair bleed?...they're made of dead cells, so they aren't supposed to bleed."_

_"But what does it mean?" _Sakura thought in confusion, her thoughts faraway as she continues to contemplate about her dream.

_"It doesn't mean anything stupid. It's because it was just dream. Dreams are supposed to be surreal," _She scolded herself as she continues to dwell on the weird dream. _"Everything can happen in a dream, however much it goes against the natural."_ Sakura left it at that, not going back to think about the dream.

Sakura move her weak limbs, wincing as she felt pain from the wound on her chest. She gingerly sat up, her arms straining underneath her as she levered herself to stand up, her arms and feet pushing hard.

She landed on her behind ungracefully as her leaded knees scream in pain.

Sakura looked around her, seeking for the man who had done that to her.

The man was gone and Sakura frowned at the realization.

_"Why did he leave?" _She thought with bewilderment.

"I thought he was going to kill me for good," Sakura continued to ponder as she tried to raise herself from the ground, sweat trickling down from her forehead. "Yet he hadn't......."

Sakura stood up shakily on her knees, her hand above the wound on her chest. The wound was still dully throbbing, the rhythm of her heart abnormal.

Sakura's heart made a unnatural thud, her hand clenching on her Anbu vest, her emerald eyes narrowed in pain.

**_"Poison" _**Sakura thought with distressing realization as she peeled off her Anbu vest gently, flinching when the gray metal brushed against her wound.

The body shield landed in the grass with a soft clung, followed by a flop as she settled back on the grass. Sakura raised her Anbu shirt up, baring her creamy white skin and her brassier which was stained with dried blood.

Haruno Sakura, Konoha's top medic-nin, set to work. Though, it was already too late now that the poison had entered her system, slowly destroying her cells and disabling her immune system.

She would become vulnerable to any diseases, but it would be a matter of time when her heart gives up on her before she could.

* * *

The raven haired man paused on the branch, his progress having been stopped by the sight of his medic, who had once again ignored his order. Itachi coldly watched her, his eyes glittering with a hint of annoyance.

The girl staggered, her hand seeking for support. She lean on the branch as he watched her took a couple of breaths before trudging heavily towards who-knows-where.

Itachi softly jumped on the ground, careful not to surprise his stubborn medic. He strode towards her, his sharingan flashing.

"Medic." He clearly stated, jerking the woman towards his direction.

_"Much for not surprising her" _Itachi thought, observing how her hand automatically went to the black katana on her back, her eyes gleaming fiercely. But when she realized who he was, she relaxed her hold on her katana and let her hand fall to the side.

Itachi's eyes narrowed at the open show of relief and security. The medic had apparently lost her sensibilities to let her guard down on him so easily. He might be an enemy in disguise, which was why he had told her the code before they had went on this mission. It would be to assure them that there will no be enemy masquerading as one of their team mates. The medic's simple action had triggered his paranoia. He was sure that this woman was an enemy in disguise.

"What is the code?" Itachi asked directly, his hand reaching for his kunai, his black katana on his back was absent, destroyed by the blast when he had fought the artist bomber.

The woman in front of him glared, her moments of relief after seeing him alive disappeared.

"You're a bastard." Itachi froze at the name, his hand half way towards the kunai and his eyes narrowing.

The woman in front of him glared at his form, unwavering.

"That's not the code." Itachi stated grimly, his face an impenetrable mask as he attack, hand gripping the kunai.

"I'll take that back." He heard her say before he slammed her into a tree, his kunai place right above her carotid vein. He pressed hard; blood began to drip from the cut, sliding into her black Anbu shirt.

"You're not a bastard...." The woman gasped as his hand tightened around the kunai; his sharingan glittering dangerously close to hers while their breaths mingled as he pressed the kunai to her throat.

"You're paranoid!" The woman shouted in his face while he stared blankly at her, his stare penetrating.

He could detect fear and anger in her turbid eyes, and he caught a glimpse of an emotion that he had never seen in her eyes before. Then it disappeared instantly before any normal shinobi could ponder over it, but Itachi already know what it was. His sharingan had seen it clearly.

This was not his medic. Itachi was sure of it. His medic had never shown any hopelessness, even though they had fought there way to arrive here. She had never showed any defeat when she could not heal his cousin while at the same time protect him.

This woman was not his medic. This woman was not Haruno Sakura.

Itachi made a move for a clean swipe, ready to cut her throat when a hand gripped his wrist.

* * *

Sakura glared at him furiously, her gloved hand tightening around his wrist. God, this man was insufferable and paranoid, not a good combination. Yet that was why the Uchiha were called the Masters of Assassinations. They could kill an innocent squirrel when the poor things disturbed their slumber, mistaking it for an enemy.

And Sakura felt like she was one of those squirrels, stirring the Uchiha's paranoia. She just came to help him and now he was going to kill her? How she hated to have been a Good Samaritan, ending up being poisoned and then being at nick point with her Anbu Captain, who she was supposed to extend her medical aid to or help him defeat the enemy; but she couldn't do neither of it. She was now weak because of the poison.

"The code is 3#3434#45$5432423$3432$34#$54543%$#." Sakura grind out the expletives and curses which Itachi had introduced to her as their code. Some of it had made Sakura flushed with color, and had gaped at Itachi when she had heard it first hand, who in turn surprisingly looked like he had been reciting the Shinobi rules from her Ninja Academy textbooks. She had wondered why Itachi had chosen that for their code, but she never did ask him.

The surrounding became hush as they both stared at each other, her eyes were furious while Itachi's eyes were calculating.

The kunai on her neck resume pressing into the skin of her throat, blood streaming down from the wound as she glared.

"Uchiha." Sakura hissed as she felt the pain coming from her new wound, adding to her weakened state. She could not keep up with this charade any longer. Acting like she was strong and not dying took its toll on her body.

The poison was slowly spreading, and she would have reversed the process if she had enough chakra to spare. The poison would kill her within three days, which was how her enemy had plan all along, making her suffer a slow painful death.

She was now losing hope, now that the poison was targeting her chakra points, blocking the areas and preventing her from refueling her chakra. She could not heal herself, the only thing she could do was to go back to Konoha and asked her shishou to heal her, which would take more than 3 days for them to arrive there. Unless of course, if their enemies will delay them again.

However, she would have to pretend that nothing was amiss. She didn't want her Anbu Captain to think of her as a nuisance for getting poison or pretty much stupid for ignoring his order. He had already made it clear that she was only a medic in his team and not an Anbu assassin. But now, her medic skills and her puissant strength would be useless. She could not heal or defend herself.

She was not going to look inept to her Anbu Captain.

"I just said the code!" Sakura bit out angrily, glaring at him through her hazy eyes, her heart thudding abnormally against her chest, weak like her. "Why aren't you releasing me?"

The Uchiha impassively stared at her, the kunai still in place.

Sakura pressed her body back into the tree, stopping herself from collapsing over her paranoid Anbu Captain, who she was sure would instantly kill her if she make a move forward.

"Did you hear me? I said the code is--" The kunai disappear from her throat and she almost fell to the ground when Itachi moved his oppressive presence away from her, his kunai back to his arm guard. Sakura righted herself up and glared, her head whirling from the sudden movement. Her Captain merely giving her a blank stare at her glare. Sakura simmered but before she could open her mouth, the Uchiha beat her to it.

"You shouldn't have let your guard down that easily, Medic," Her Anbu Captain reprimanded her in a low voice, his tone unchanging. "I could have been the enemy disguise as your Anbu Captain."

Silence reign as a nerve began to throb in Sakura's head, a dangerous sign if she could use her chakra laden fist to hit the arrogant man.

"I hope that there won't be second time to this." The Uchiha stated, his eyes staring directly at her.

Sakura clenched her fist, gritting her teeth. The turtleneck of her Anbu shirt was wet as the cut continue to bleed.

"Yes, Captain." Sakura gritted out, her eyes blazing with ire, but she did not dare do anything to elicit her Captain's disapproval. She had already gone against his order, and answering back towards her senior again would surely leave an angry mark on her file for insubordination. She didn't want that to happen.

She had just been indicted to the Anbu Ops last month, and this was her first mission to prove herself that her new status was rightly made for her. Her shishou had been proud of her when she had passed the Anbu Exams, and had been ecstatic for having caught the enigmatic eye of the Uchiha.

Itachi had been the one who requested her medic aid and kunoihi skills, but she never thought that she was supposed to act as a flower pot for her first mission.

"Has Shisui woken?" Itachi asked, eyes remaining blank.

Sakura bristled.

_"How can he call Shisui-san by his first name while he calls me 'Medic'?"_ Sakura thought scowling, her head throbbing, though it wasn't from the anger. The poison was slowly lowering what was left of her body defenses. She could not fight back the infections. Her skin was now clammy, the black Anbu shirt clinging to her body.

"Yes, he's awake," Sakura spoke venomously, concealing her weakness. "He's still talking the last time I saw him."

The Uchiha did not flinch at her sarcasm.

There was an awkward silence that followed. Well for Sakura it looks awkward to her, though she could not tell for her Captain, who looked like he was just observing a rare butterfly collection, bland as always.

"Let's go." Her Captain commanded out of the blue, whirling around and intending to leave immediately and her to follow him.

Fire was still roaring from their surrounding areas, a clear sign of Itachi's intense battle. The sky above them had darkened into an ominous gray, created by the smoke rising from the destroyed forestry.

Sakura however had stayed rooted to her spot; her gaze had frozen towards the object clinging on her Captain's retreating form.

Sakura reacted without thinking.

* * *

Itachi tensed when he heard the sound of grating metal as it was unsheathed from its scabbard. Itachi reacted instinctively, his hand went towards his kunai as he felt her move.

He couldn't believe that he been deceived. The Medic had said the exact code, every order and the specific intonation when he pronounced the code to her.

Had the enemy forcefully access it from the medic?

Itachi twirled his kunai in his hand as the woman came close to him, his hand a blur as he aimed the kunai behind him. There was a tag on his head as she pulled his hair none to gently, jerking his head back.

He heard his weapon sinking into flesh and bones, blood splattering the ground as he hit his mark. He turned around to look, his hair swinging around him as his ruby orbs met wide adventurine.

Then he saw it.

Strands of Raven locks hanging in suspended animation in the air, watching slowly as it descended on the ground.

His eyes straying back towards the girl, whose face was splattered with blood; and he stared, suddenly feeling cold.

The sky above them flashed, and then followed by a rumble as they continue to stare at each other.

A drop of rain fell on the girl's nose before trailing on her chin, only to fall on the ground.

"I was only trying to save you." Itachi heard her whisper softly, her face pale and her eyes dimming.

"I was only trying to save you." The girl repeated dazedly, swaying on her feet, her black katana loosened in her grasp and fell to the ground with a soft thump.

The sky opened up above them, instantly soaking their forms.

The girl fell to her knees while Itachi stood there frozen, staring at the girl.

The rain washed away the blood on her face, water streaking down her cheeks looking more like tears than rain.

"Captain," The girl murmured, looking blankly at his feet.

Itachi watched as she weakly raised her hand and open her palm. He stared at the object in her hand, and looked back at girl, his face unusually pale.

"You can't report me for insubordination...." The girl whispered, her mouth barely moving as the hand fell to her side before she swayed and slumped to her side.

Itachi swoop towards her, his arms wrapping around her petite form, rain soaking their clothes and hair as he knelt beside her. He cradled her head in his hand and her shoulder with his arm.

".....I just save your life...so you can't report me..... for insubordination...." She said her soft barely a whisper while Itachi leaned over to listen. He gazed into her adventurine orbs, drops of rain clinging to her pink lashes, which fluttered weakly when she blink the raindrops or.... is it tears? from her eyes.

"Captain........" Itachi listen intently, watching her dilated irises. The girl was apparently in pain, and she hid it well with stubborn glint in her eyes.

"Please…. don't report me……" Her soft voice trailed as her eyes fluttered closed, looking fragile as a butterfly while her pale face upturn towards the sky, blood pooling from her wound.

Itachi studied the girl's face, rain pounding over them.

Itachi had no heart to tell her that his life doesn't need to be saved, since there was no life to save in the first place.

His eyes landed on the girl's open palm, the clay spider motionless; the owner of the bomb, now lying dead in the rivers of his own blood.

The wind picked up around them, whipping against his wet bangs that clung to his face, the blood from his wound gone; washed away from the rain.

Itachi run his hand through his hair, his hand encountering his shortened locks. He slowly let his hand fall to the side and stared at the woman lying immobile in his arms, pale and still as death.

With strands of raven hair on her open palm.

----------

**_"Because"_**

_I have occasionally_

_Been persuaded_

_To leave my own path_

_To go the way of another _

_Even when all my instincts _

_Tell me to trust my self._

_Sometimes it works_

_But often it doesn't_

_And worst of all….._

_Sometimes it's hard_

_To find my own way again._

**--by Leonard Nimoy**

**------------**

(**AN: **All the medical stuff are true, I did some researching on how to treat 3rd degree burn while the rest of the stuff came from my Anatomy Classes and my health care lecture and laboratory. I also research about the Waterfalls. The small cave like thingy inside the waterfall is called a rock shelter. The plunge pool is actually created by the pressure of water as it 's like a deep swimming pool. If you still can't picture out the setting, then just use your imagination and picture out the setting as you see fit.

**Micro Japanese Terminologies:**

**Onna---woman**

**Konichiwa---good afternoon  
**

Have you guessed why I titled this story as Raven?

Well, it is actually about Sakura's dream also has a significant meaning if you are in my country.

**Philippines Superstition:**

In my country, if you dream about your hair getting cut. It is a foreboding sign. It means that you are going to die or someone close to you is going to die. Well, I really don't know where my ancestors got that idea. Maybe, because they just had a bad hair day? I really don't know. Here in the Philippines, you will hear many superstitious beliefs. Like if you dream about a snake, it means that someone's going to betray you or if you clipped your nails during the night, your parents will die.

Yeah, I know. We Filipinos are superstitious folks, but that's our culture.

**Small Anatomy lessons:**

The hair is made of dead cells and is rich with keratin. And yes, our hairs don't bleed. We have to thank God for that. I got this idea when my classmates where talking about keratin after we were dismissed from our Anatomy class. We got into this topic about how God is pretty much omnipotent and omniscience for creating our the world and us humans. We also got this point that we shouted to the skies and thank the lord for his ingeniousness. If it wasn't for God, what would have happen if our hair contains red blood cells and has a nerve endings. What would happen if we cut our hair? Just imagine what Sakura had dream about cutting her hair while it was alive like it was some vital organ. We would surely feel explicit pain and our hair would bleed freely, and thus resulting to blood loss. Imagine if God hadn't created our hair without cells, we wouldn't be going to the hair salon, wouldn't we? We would obviously look like apes.

So enough with all the weirdness. The story was already weird so giving you this weird ideas would surely make you weird.

**I would like to thank for Yami Uchiha for betaing this story. Yami, I hope that you haven't pulled the roots of your hair for beta reading my stories. I know I'm a very frustrating person all the time, though you still put up with me and hadn't made a move to get me out from you hair.**

Yeah,ladies and some gents. This story is all about the hair. So if I were you, you should take care what God has given to you and not abused it with hair products and the daily trip to the hair salon. Trimming your hair occasionally would make your hair grow in a faster rate, and prevent split ends. Well, that's what my teacher had said to me during our Anatomy classes.

**I would also like to thank my friends, Aki, Wolf, Lee and Eco for inculcating all this profound and somewhat weird ideas to me. We're geeks for discussing our Anatomy lessons during that time. We'll thinking and discussing our lessons wouldn't hurt our fragile mind wouldn't it? So what is it to waste of not thinking?**

**So there you go. The story Raven**

**PLEASE LEAVE SOME REVIEWS. IT WOULD SURELY MAKE MY HAIR-PULLING DAYS. **

* * *


	2. Feverish Desire

**_Disclaimer:_** You all know the drill....I don't own yadiyada....so I won't be writing any disclaimers the following chapters. It's very tiresome. Trying to make a creative disclaimer makes my head ache. So I'll stop right now.

---------------------

**RAVEN**

**ItaXSsaku and SakuX?**

**Angst, Companionship/Romance and slight humor**

**Rated M**

**Chapter 2**

----------------------------------

**RECAP**

_The sky above them flashed, and then followed by a rumble as they continue to stare at each other._

_A drop of rain fell on the girl's nose before trailing on her chin, only to fall on the ground._

_"I was only trying to save you." Itachi heard her whisper softly, her face pale and her eyes dimming._

_"I was only trying to save you." The girl repeated dazedly, swaying on her feet, her black katana loosened in her grasp and fell to the ground with a soft thump._

_The sky opened up above them, instantly soaking their forms._

_The girl fell to her knees while Itachi stood there frozen, staring at the girl._

_The rain washed away the blood on her face, water streaking down her cheeks looking more like tears than rain._

_"Captain," The girl murmured, looking blankly at his feet._

_Itachi watched as she weakly raised her hand and open her palm. He stared at the object in her hand, and looked back at girl, his face unusually pale._

_"You can't report me for insubordination...." The girl whispered, her mouth barely moving as the hand fell to her side before she swayed and slumped to her side._

_Itachi swoop towards her, his arms wrapping around her petite form, rain soaking their clothes and hair as he knelt beside her. He cradled her head in his hand and her shoulder with his arm._

_".....I just save your life...so you can't report me..... for insubordination...." She said her soft barely a whisper while Itachi leaned over to listen. He gazed into her adventurine orbs, drops of rain clinging to her pink lashes, which fluttered weakly when she blink the raindrops or.... is it tears? from her eyes._

_"Captain........" Itachi listen intently, watching her dilated irises. The girl was apparently in pain, and she hid it well with stubborn glint in her eyes._

_"Please…. don't report me……" Her soft voice trailed as her eyes fluttered closed, looking fragile as a butterfly while her pale face upturn towards the sky, blood pooling from her wound._

_Itachi studied the girl's face, rain pounding over them._

_Itachi had no heart to tell her that his life doesn't need to be saved, since there was no life to save in the first place._

_His eyes landed on the girl's open palm, the clay spider motionless; the owner of the bomb, now lying dead in the rivers of his own blood._

_The wind picked up around them, whipping against his wet bangs that clung to his face, the blood from his wound gone; washed away from the rain._

_Itachi run his hand through his hair, his hand encountering his shortened locks. He slowly let his hand fall to the side and stared at the woman lying immobile in his arms, pale and still as death._

_With strands of raven hair on her open palm._

* * *

Sakura was drifting in and out consciousness, her body feverish and her heart elevated, thumping loudly in her chest.

Infection had settled into her wounds, her low immune making it easier for the infection to spread; her body defenses could not handle the brunt of the attack. She was shivering, her body compensating for the lack of heat. The cold seeped into her bones, making her jaw chatter, her Anbu clothes soaked and clinging to her feverish body like a second skin. Only the warmth emitting from the man, who was carrying her, protected her vulnerability, his comfortable heat made her feel safe.

She was half conscious as she tightened her hold on him, pressing her body on his back; her arms and legs wrapped around his neck and lean waist. They were running underneath the pouring canopy, their form almost blur as her Captain searched for a shelter.

Time has flown. The sky above them had darkened, encompassing the land with shadows. Sakura knew that going back to the rock shelter underneath this weather was not the best option. Her Captain's chakra was low; he couldn't possibly carry them both if they ran against gravity. They would easily slip from the outcroppings and into the jagged rocks at the bottom of the waterfall.

They were on the Village of waterfall, so finding a canyon or a gorge would be easy. But the escarpments would be flooded by the rain water by now due to the downpour, creating another waterfall. Though it was better than being exposed to the plummeting raindrops and the blistering cold as night slowly approaches. The warmth of the rock shelters would be a good fortification from getting a cold or fever; however, for Sakura it far too late. She had easily succumbed to the illnesses as the infection sets into her weak body.

Sakura watched through lowered lids, her ears strained to the sound upon hearing water splashing as her Captain run over the wet ground, his wet raven locks whipping against her face.

His hair was now short and uneven, and it was all her fault.

Sakura's arms tightened around his neck, wincing as the wound near her collarbone throbbed in pain. Eyes glazed with the signs of fever while an earthly scent wafted to her nostrils. Her Captain smelled like blood and ashes, the rain and dirt melding with his scent; a potent combination that carefully lulled her to sleep.

"Captain." She murmured softly against his broad shoulder, the rocking motion as Itachi ran made her drift into a restless slumber.

She came too when she felt warm hands brushing softly against her face, a hand gripping on her shoulder to steady her.

"Sakura....." She heard a lilting voice calling for her."...Sakura."

If she was even concretely conscious around her surroundings, she would have noticed the familiarity that her Captain was addressing towards her.

She slowly open her heavy lids, eyes glazing as she met pair black tourmalines.

"Medic..." She did not noticed the changed of name and tone as the Uchiha stated, also impervious as how her Captain was openly observing her flushed face.

They were on another rock shelter; she could hear the rushing water at the entrance of the once dried up Canyon; a small fire blazing at the hearth which was placed near their knelt form. Their hair and clothes clinging to their drenched form, and Sakura shivered from the oppressing cold.

"Medic, heal your wounds." Her Captain commanded smoothly, his eyes piercing as he stared at her turbid orbs.

Sakura had a hard time trying to focus on her surroundings and trying to keep from drifting into unconsciousness again, her fever had escalated high as the infection continue to wrecked havoc on her body.

"I can't." Sakura said hoarsely, her throat dry; she was slowly her electrolytes from her body, a clear sign that her condition was getting worse each passing hours, and each uneven thump of her heart.

"Why can't you heal your wounds, Medic?" The Uchiha asked with a small crease on his forehead, his eyes sharp. She instantly noticed the wound on his forehead, and then her eyes slowly shifted towards the singed clothes and burnt skin, her eyes softening.

"You're wounded." Sakura whispered, her glazed eyes going back to his face.

The man opposite to her did not reply, his eyes transfixed on her, silently observing.

"It is nothing." Itachi answered carelessly while irritation flickered in her eyes, though it was hidden underneath by her lashes; suddenly feeling sense vertigo, Sakura's world tilted while cold sweat broke from her skin.

"Medic!" She heard the sharp command from her Captain's voice as she was brought swiftly into his arms. Strong arms wrapped around her small waist, her shivering form pressed closely into his large frame. Sakura's head lolled to the side, her face tilted towards him as she laid her head on his broad shoulder. They were terribly closed to each other. However, Sakura did not mind it the least. Actually she welcomes her Captain's warmth close to her shivering form.

"Medic." Itachi repeated, watching her critically.

"Can you please stop calling me that?" Sakura requested quietly, her eyes fluttering close. "It's quite annoying really...and pretty much degrading."

Itachi's face want blank at her statement, an expectant silence descended on the cave as Sakura made her way back towards unconsciousness.

She was half conscious when she heard him call for her again, though this time his voice was worth hearing.

"Sakura." Sakura's eyes shot open to stare at him, surprise; his voice soft and almost warm as he had called her.

"I'm going to tend to your wounds." She heard him say through the haze, her mind half conscious.

She did not reply and could only watch with heavy eyes as her Captain securely wrapped his arm around her, keeping her in an upright position. She felt a hand strayed to her Anbu vest and started to lift it up from her body, while she hissed as the metal rubbed against the wound on her sternum. Itachi paused, staring at her flushed face which was lifted to his, her breathing a gasp through her parted lips.

Itachi swiftly slipped a hand underneath her and lifted her entire body, placing her into his lap. Sakura's face flushed deeper though it was not from the fever, but from the way they were position. Her body was pressed against his large frame, her legs spread apart on either side his lean waist, her bottom above his----

Itachi draw his knees closer, making Sakura clutched her broad shoulder, his knees supporting her back while a hand reached for her Anbu vest.

Sakura's eyes staring straight into black tourmalines as she felt her Anbu vest being lifted.

"Raise your arms." Itachi commanded quietly, his breathe brushing against her flushed face.

Sakura felt her face warm at their closeness; an unknown feeling came spiraling in her stomach, making her squirm. Itachi froze at the movement, his hands stilled on the Anbu Vest. Sakura's eyes clashing with black tourmalines as she did what her Captain had ordered her to do. She weakly raised her arm, wincing in pain as the wound near her clavicle throb while Itachi slowly shed her Anbu vest, careful not to rub the metal against her wound.

There was an odd glitter on her Captain's eyes as the metal landed on the ground with a clung. There was a tense silence as Sakura placed her hands on Itachi's broad shoulder, the unknown emotion tightening in her stomach into knots, making her body tense.

Itachi trailed his hands down on her Anbu shirt, still holding her gaze. Sakura's body was tight and she almost jumped in surprise as she felt Itachi's hands touch her bare skin. A huge hole was on her black Anbu shirt where the weapons had passed through. Her shirt was soaking wet with blood and water as Itachi raised the shirt that clung to her body. His warm hands leaving a hot trail on his wake as Sakura once again raised her arms, exposing her creamy hot skin.

Her clothes would be dried before she could wear them again. The wet clothes would not elevate her fever so Itachi had decided to take it off, placing the wet cloth along with her Anbu vest, near the fire. She was left with her brassier, her creamy skin glowing as the fire cast a light over semi-naked form.

The wound on near her clavicle and sternum where exposed to Itachi's gaze, who scan over the wounds with medical eyes, if he had that one. He lifted his eyes back to her and Sakura flushed in embarrassment. If Shisui could see them right now, he would surely make a wrong interpretation.

"I'm going to touch you, Sakura." Itachi asked softly to her. Sakura's nodded her head in permission, her face still flushed however she understood that he was only going to tend to her wounds. She could not move her limbs to the extent that she could accomplish the task of wrapping bandages over her injuries or even clean the open skin, to prevent any further infection.

"I'll entrust my body to you, Captain," Sakura whispered tiredly, closing her eyes as sleep slowly consume her exhausted form, for how many times that day.

"Just like I'm entrusting my life to you."

Sakura's face relaxes as she slept.

Itachi scrutinize her features for a moment before his eyes strayed to her wounds. The wound near her clavicle was deep where he had plunge the kunai earlier. He had aimed for her heart, but this woman had avoided the deadly thrust just in time and had hit her shoulder instead. Her pink brassier was stained with blood from her wounds, which had stopped bleeding. He brushed the wet locks that fell on her shoulder and neck.

Itachi lifted her form and moved closer to the fire where he could see her wounds clearly. He could not use his sharingan after exhausting it as he tried to find a shelter for them. The rainstorm still continues to rage outside the cave while he placed Sakura's sleeping form on the ground.

He stripped his wet Anbu shirt. He then washed the cloth underneath the pouring rain before placing it near the fire, the fire was a large roar after he had stoke it, increasing the heat while he tore a part of his singed pants and cleanse the soiled cloth beneath the rain.

Rain cascading over Itachi's lean figure; droplets of water streaking down over sinews and muscles that coiled over his superb physique; His shortened hair clinging to his neck and the side of his face, while only wearing on his pair of black pants that has been cut to his shins.

His skin gleaming as he came back inside the cave. He knelt down next to woman curled near the fire and began tending to her wounds. Though he was not a skillful medic such as the pink haired woman he was tending to, he however knew simple first aid.

Itachi cleansed her body with the clean cloth, repeatedly washing the cloth when it absorbs the dried blood and dirt that clung to her upper body. Her brassier had impeded his progress, and Itachi had considered taking the nuisance cloth. Even though the medic had entrusted her body to him, he could not make move to take the piece of cloth that held the last stripped of her decency. Itachi was a gentleman and so he had let the woman have her brassier.

Itachi cut his Anbu short into strips after it had dried. He was running the kunai to the thin fabric when he heard a groan, turning his head to the side. He scan the woman's current state, her skin was almost dry but the pink cloth that covered the swell of her breast was still soaking wet.

Itachi watched as the girl opened her eyes, the short minutes of sleep had not restored any of her energy. Adventurine eyes searched the cave for him, before landing on his form squatting across from her.

There eyes met, and Itachi slowly stood up before walking towards her with the make-shift bandages in his hand. He knelt beside her form and wrapped an arm around her waist, maneuvering her up into a sitting position; the heat of their bare skin searing them. Itachi was highly aware of her candid and untouched body as well as woman was aware of his deadly virility.

They stared.

"I'm going to place bandages over your wounds." Itachi explained to her, his eyes gazing into her murky depths fringe by thick lashes.

The woman was silent before she bobbed her head mutely, still slightly sleepy and considerably exhausted.

"Stay still." Itachi ordered then began wrapping the bandages around her wound.

Sakura's hands trailed on his arm before landing on his broad shoulder, the feel of his muscles flinched at her touch made her smile inwardly, her lashes veiling her thoughts. Her Captain glared at her while Sakura merely cupped Itachi's nape, to steady herself and lean over Itachi's drawn knees beside her.

"I said stay still, Sakura." Itachi said reproachfully, his lips thin in a formidable line. His eyes becoming busy on the task at hand, wrapping the black cloth around the scratch on her neck before he shifted his attention on the wound on her shoulder near her clavicle.

Sakura was breathing hard for a different reason, the unknown emotion that she had felt earlier came back to her full force, and now that she was awake again, making her tense. There was an ache on her loins, the bright flushed had resulted from her fever and from her Captain's potent masculine scent, a tight feeling settled on her stomach, aching painfully.

Sakura felt like she needed something, her body still while she gazed at Itachi's slightly bent face, his attention on her wounds.

Her hormones were on overdrive, and her fever was just a fuel to the fire. Her eyes were dark as Itachi slide his hand inside her armpits to wrap the wound her shoulder, the place where she was sensitive and ticklish. The hand accidentally brushing the side of her breast making her stomach clenched with something forbidden, and her body tingle in reaction.

Sakura tense noticeably, and bit her lower lip.

"Captain." Sakura whispered, her eyes were glazed with fever and desire. Itachi noticed it, but he ignored the emotion fleeting in her confused and slightly delirious state, fever blinding her judgment, making her thought incoherently. "I--I think. I should place the bandages...."

"There's no need," Itachi replied quietly as he made a final turn on her shoulder, his hand brushing the side of her breast, making her jerked. Sakura made a whimpering sound; she closed her legs tightly, feeling the heat curling there, while she panted.

"I'm almost done." He said as he made a knot.

Itachi secured the black bandage on her shoulder. He gaze at his work with assessing eyes, his hands unconsciously trailing above her overheated skin, accidentally brushing the swell of her breast above her brassier where it lingered for a whole aching seconds.

Sakura's eyes darken while Itachi's eyes shifted, his attention to the creamy white skin peeking above her brassier. Her chest rose and fell each time she breathes, becoming conscious of Itachi's gaze.

Then Itachi's eyes halted on her pebbled bud through her wet brassier, showing her excitement and desire. The woman's breathe hitch as his palm deliberately yet accidentally brushing against the sensitive point of her breast. The woman stiffens from his touch, her nipples a proud crest from her semi see though brassier.

"Captain," Sakura gasped, her eyes glittering with righteous indignation, yet her body reacted differently. The painful knot on her stomach, twisted increasing the heat building up on her loins.

The Uchiha blankly stared at her exclamation.

Sakura let her overbearing Captain go. She was not going to argue with him. Accident or not, her Captain was a pervert. A very handsome and—and if she was sure, experience pervert.

Sakura's eyes mentally shook her head at her thoughts, scolding herself for thinking about her Captain in That way.

"I think I'll finish the bandaging," Sakura said, voicing no argument from her Captain, who nodded his head at the suggestion, his eyes glinting with amusement, a wry smirk tagging at corners of his mouth.

"I'm not an invalid. I have a decent amount of strength left to do a simple bandaging."

Itachi remained silent as she took the black bandages from his hand, there hands tingled as they touched but they ignored the feeling. Sakura weakly wrapped the cloth around her, the movement proving to be difficult for her since she could do no further but wrapped the cloth just once around her; the wound right above the shadow of her cleavage where Itachi's eyes had drifted, while she wrapped the bandage in futility.

Sakura's arms straining and the wound on her shoulder throbbed at her movement, her eyes blurring while her head pulsed with pain. She slowly gave up on her task, her hands sliding on the ground, the black cloth above the swell on her breast, the dark color contrasting with her creamy white skin.

Itachi was sitting with his hands behind him, used as leverage to hold his upper body, his knees bent in front of him where Sakura lean her whole weight on his knees. The side of her body touching his leg while she watched through her lashes at the man who was closely observing her. His skin gleaming gold and the droplets of water streaking over the flat planes and bulges on his muscles. Her Captain looked magnificently and devastatingly male, and good enough to eat. But Sakura did not dare, she was sure that she would get more than a bite from the man if she made a move to---

"Are you done being stubborn?" Her Captain asked wryly, his brow quirking as he surveyed her poor work.

Sakura's eyes blaze with fury but she kept her mouth shut. The dark haired man turns to look at her mute form.

"Then let me continue my work." Sakura clenched her jaw and let him take control.

Itachi took the cloth from the swell of her breast, his hand brushing against her skin, jerking her body in shocked at the heat emitting from his hand. The hand paused above her breast while Sakura's eyes lifted towards the man who had become thoughtful. Desire and anger played over her body. She was confused whether to devour the man up or bite his head off.

"Take off your bra." Sakura froze at the command, her heart thudding loudly on her ears.

She chooses neither of her fantastic option.

Itachi turn to look at the frozen woman.

"Sakura, take off your bra." He ordered nonchalantly in the face of a very defensive woman, the paragon of virtues.

"Wh-why?" She sputtered, covering a protective arm over her chest.

Amusement glittered on Itachi's dark orbs as he watched her reaction.

"I'm going to wrap the bandage around you," He drawled the words, his eyes hooded. "Your bra would just make it difficult for me to place the bandages."

Sakura stared at him uncertainly. Then her arms slide weakly down to her side, revealing her pink brassier to him.

Itachi surveyed her for painful seconds before he trailed his hands around her.

"Captain, don't." Sakura whispered softly as his hands reached behind her for the latch. His hot hands making her body quiver with something dangerous, her desire went on rampage. She was afraid that she would lose control and went on dominatrix over her Captain.

Itachi paused at her words, his tourmaline orbs going towards her chaotic ones.

"I---I...." Itachi waited for her to continue, finding the situation cumbersome as the woman continues to deny his medical aid. The woman's mind was clearly on the gutter as her face was flushed and her body was emitting a different kind of reaction from his touches.

"You don't have to take off my bra." Sakura explained weakly, her eyes flickering with exhaustion and a blunt hint of her desire. Sakura's head throb with pain, suddenly feeling like her world had tilted on the edge of a cliff. Sakura's eyes rolled at the back of her head as she tipped forward, her forehead landing on Itachi's broad shoulder.

Sakura stomach made an unusually turn, feeling sick. She bit her lips to stop from vomiting all over her Captain who had placed a hand on her spine; acid was curling on her stomach. The small food and the soldier pills that she had consumed were the only contents inside her stomach. The nausea diminished, and Sakura sighed with relief.

"Stop being stubborn, Sakura," Itachi said softly to her, his breath brushing against her bare shoulder as he pressed her front against his bare skin. She could feel his every muscles moving against her, and it felt good. She felt protected, and if very feminine when she was around Itachi's blatant masculinity. "And let me take care of you."

Sakura felt warm at the words, her body became soft against his.

"Let me take off your bra." Sakura stiffen as she felt the latch on her bra came free, the cloth fell from her shoulder as Itachi slide his hands to take it off.

"Itachi, don't." Sakura said, raising her head to look at her Captain. His name easily slipping from her tongue, and Itachi 's eyes flickered at his name.

"I don't want to---"

"I'm not going to look, Sakura." Itachi said, trying to assure her. He needed to tend to her wounds immediately to abate her fever. He could afford to lose a medic. He could not afford to lose her.

"I not going to look, I promise." Itachi said honestly, his eyes determined.

Sakura scan his features, her eyes flickering over his compelling orbs. She saw sincerity and determination; the first two emotions that she had seen in his eyes. Sakura felt grateful for it.

Itachi waited for her permission, his hands on her bare shoulder where he had the slide the strings of her pink brassier.

Sakura nodded her head, her eyes holding his.

Itachi slowly trailed his hands over her hot skin, the string sliding off her shoulder and her brassier fell, freeing her breast. Itachi held her gaze, not looking as his hands began to wrap the bandage around her; his hands brushing the swell of her breast repeatedly as he turns the bandage around her.

Sakura's breathing became hitch as she felt his hands on her. Damn, it felt good. Yet, she has to stay focus. The fever was apparently controlling her body's normal functioning.

The hand stopped, Itachi was finished but Sakura had not let him go. Her hands was grasping on his broad shoulder as she tried to regain some control over her hormones. Her face was an inch apart from the Uchiha, who was also having hard time breathing, the same as her, though his was hardly discernible. Her nipples pebbled harder as she was brought closer to Itachi's hard form, moistness trickled between her legs as Itachi's masculine scent envelop her.

"Sleep." Itachi murmured near her ear, and Sakura's breathing was labored, her face flushing with desire.

How could she sleep when she was temptingly pressed to an attractive male, and half naked at that?

"Sakura, sleep." Itachi whispered the order as she was suddenly lifted from the ground like she was just a light as a feather. "You're going to need it."

Itachi's leg fell apart and she was gently laid between them, her naked back was pressed against his chiseled chest, heat emitting from both their bodies. Preventing the cold from ever penetrating through the human incubator Itachi had created; his heat a warm cocoon.

Itachi wrapped his strong arms around her form, drawing her closer to him. Both his legs spread on either side of her as she lay curled in his arms, her head on his shoulder.

She was still tense as Itachi sat closely behind her, desire and fever eating like flames over her weaken body. Then she began to relax against him, her form slumping and pressing closer to his warmth.

It was matters of moments that sleep consumes her; the safety haven that her Captain provided, lulling her to sleep, her lashes fluttering close.

No longer feeling cold, but warm all over.

Her Captain was there to protect her.

Sakura let sleep encroach her, as she was assured of Itachi's presence behind her. Her head buried at the curve of Itachi's neck. Her brassier on the floor, discarded.

Itachi gazed at the roaring fire on the hearth, the woman in his arms sighing, finally finding contentment in her dreams. The blazing embers and the pitter-patter of the rain was the only thing he could hear as Sakura slept, while he kept watch.

* * *

Warm experience lips woke her up by the next morning. Her form pressed against the hard floor as she arched her back to the feel of masculine hands caressing her breast. Sakura was exhausted, yet her body was telling her differently, easily responding to the hands that give her pleasure.

Sakura felt tongue laving her lower lip, asking for entrance, which Sakura give as she continues to kiss him. Sakura moan against the man's mouth, the hands on her breast, squeezing her nipple. She hungrily, tasted the man's lips, heat building up on her loins.

She used her tongue to explore his mouth, feeling his tongue dueling with hers. A hand grasp her nape for a deeper kiss, moans escaping from their lips as lust consume them.

The man fumbled over the zipper of her Anbu pants while Sakura raised her hips, allowing the man to remove her pants. The black fabric hit the ground while her panties pooled with her juices.

She was breathing hard, her nipples puckered with desire.

She slowly open her eyes, expecting to see her Captain having his way with her but the sight she met made her skin crawl in shock and revulsion.

"How's your poisonous sleep, Onna?" The man asked maliciously, cupping her breast while Sakura open her mouth to scream but she could not as she was suddenly silence by a violent kiss from the man.

She made a strangled sound at the back of her throat as the man bit her lower lip. The skin tore as his canine pierce through her lip, droplets of blood streaming from the wound. She could taste the metallic flavor on her mouth as the man moved his lips over hers, unforgivably, bruising her lips.

Sakura weakly flayed her limbs to take the man off her, though she was unsuccessful as a hand made their way at the back of her head.

Sakura heard the man murmur something before her mind was thrown off into total darkness.

----------------------------------------------------

"Where's Sakura?" Shisui asked hoarsely, his voice cracking as they landed on the ground; the sound of the waterfalls drifting from behind them, where they had come from.

"She's on another cave." Itachi responded, heaving Shisui's form beside him. The older man placed an arm around his friend's shoulder while Itachi carried Sakura's medic supplies and her kunai pouch. Shisui stood on his good leg beside him with Itachi's arm wrapped around wounded man's waist.

"Where going towards her location." Itachi said quietly and made a clone to support Shisui's other side, the clone place Shisui's other hand on the clone's neck, once it was done. Itachi nodded his head towards the clone, signaling him that they would move.

"You left her alone?"Shisui asked surprised as they began moving.

"No." Itachi replied. "I left a clone with her."

"Are you sure that your clone could protect her?" Shisui asked cryptically, his voice cracking as he speaks. They launched towards a tree, jumping from branch to branch in synchronization, both the clone and Itachi carrying the weight of the man on the middle.

Itachi did not respond, the new shirt that covered his upper torso flapping, the collar obscuring half of Itachi's face. Shisui had given his extra shirt to his cousin after finding him half naked in the rock shelter, telling him that they would leave.

"We should better hurry," Itachi said as he become tense, his instinct telling him that Sakura was in trouble. The memories from his clone flying towards him, but he did not know who had been the enemy since his clone was attack from behind.

"Yes, Captain." Shisui replied to him sarcastically, allowing Itachi and his clone to carry him towards Sakura's direction. "Honestly Itachi, why did you go out alone to fight the----"

"Let's not talk about that, Shisui." Itachi cut in smoothly, his jaw clench, his body tensed as his mind drifting towards the unguarded woman on the other cave. "I'm your Captain and you should heed my orders. Don't follow what Sakura did."

Shisui's ears perked with interest at Itachi' slip.

"Sakura, ehh?" Shisui began, his eyes amused. "Why the sudden change of names?"

Itachi face became an impenetrable mask. This was not the right time discuss such trivial matters, Sakura was in trouble.

"Did something happen last night that I should know of?" Shisui pried, nudging Itachi's shoulder with his shoulder. The younger Uchiha remain quite, his eyes hard. "Did you and her get it on last--"

"Shisui." Itachi warned in a dangerous tone, casting a glance at his friend, looking slightly angered.

"Nothing happen." Itachi provided, wanting to shut the other man for good.

Shisui smirked.

"I hope not," Shisui said, mischief glittering in his midnight eyes. "I don't like sharing."

Itachi and the clone stiffen, their eyes a bit incredulous as they stared at Shisui.

"Not you," Shisui said chortling. "I meant Sakura."

"I know what you meant, Shisui." Itachi growled as they resume their progress at increasing speed, anger gleaming in Itachi's dark orbs, face turning into granite. "But you don't own Sakura."

Shisui raised a brow at the statement. "Oh?"

"I'm her Captain," Itachi explained, clearly stating his claim. "I own her skills."

Shisui became curious the Itachi's revelation, a small frown marring his face underneath the bandages.

"And are you sure that's all you want to own from her, Itachi?" Shisui queried, surprising the Anbu Captain that he craned his neck to look at him. Itachi looked at his best friend, eyes blank.

If Shisui was expecting an answer from Itachi, he did not get any as Itachi remain silent.

Shisui was now intrigued.

* * *

The feeling of foreboding settled in their hearts as they arrived at Sakura's location. Dragging footstep echoed through the shallow cave as both men entered the rock shelter.

Then the sound died as they came to a complete halt at the sight before them, their expressions frozen on their faces.

**_"Sakura." _**Itachi whispered, his eyes settling on the bloody form on the ground.

-----------------------------

Because

I have known despair

I value hope

Because

I have tasted frustration

I value fulfillment

Because

I have been lonely

I value love

----------------------------------------------

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_**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS.**_

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My story is first and foremost your stories. You and I created them.


	3. Poison Time

**------------------------------------**

"**RAVEN"**

**ITACHI/SAKURA**

**RATED M**

**ANGST/ROMANCE**

**CHAPTER 3**

**----------------------------------------------------**

**RECAP**

_"Where's Sakura?" Shisui asked hoarsely, his voice cracking as they landed on the ground; the sound of the waterfalls drifting from behind them, where they had come from._

_"She's on another cave." Itachi responded, heaving Shisui's form beside him. The older man placed an arm around his friend's shoulder while Itachi carried Sakura's medic supplies and her kunai pouch. Shisui stood on his good leg beside him with Itachi's arm wrapped around wounded man's waist._

_"We're going towards her location." Itachi said quietly and made a clone to support Shisui's other side, the clone place Shisui's other hand on the clone's neck, once it was done. Itachi nodded his head towards the clone, signaling him that they would move._

_"You left her alone?"Shisui asked surprised as they began moving._

_"No." Itachi replied. "I left a clone with her."_

_"Are you sure that your clone could protect her?" Shisui asked cryptically, his voice cracking as he speaks. They launched towards a tree, jumping from branch to branch in synchronization, both the clone and Itachi carrying the weight of the man on the middle._

_Itachi did not respond, the new shirt that covered his upper torso flapping, the collar obscuring half of Itachi's face. Shisui had given his extra shirt to his cousin after finding him half naked in the rock shelter, telling him that they would leave._

_"We should better hurry," Itachi said as he become tense, his instinct telling him that Sakura was in trouble. The memories from his clone flying towards him, but he did not know who had been the enemy since his clone was attack from behind._

_"Yes, Captain." Shisui replied to him sarcastically, allowing Itachi and his clone to carry him towards Sakura's direction. "Honestly Itachi, why did you go out alone to fight the----"_

_"Let's not talk about that, Shisui." Itachi cut in smoothly, his jaw clench, his body tensed as his mind drifting towards the unguarded woman on the other cave. "I'm your Captain and you should heed my orders. Don't follow what Sakura did."_

_Shisui's ears perked with interest at Itachi' slip._

_"Sakura, ehh?" Shisui began, his eyes amused. "Why the sudden change of names?"_

_Itachi face became an impenetrable mask. This was not the right time discuss such trivial matters, Sakura was in trouble._

_"Did something happen last night that I should know of?" Shisui pried, nudging Itachi's shoulder with his shoulder. The younger Uchiha remain quite, his eyes hard. "Did you and her get it on last--"_

_"Shisui," Itachi warned in a dangerous tone, casting a glance at his friend, looking slightly angered._

_"Nothing happen." Itachi provided, wanting to shut the other man for good._

_Shisui smirked._

_"I hope not," Shisui said, mischief glittering in his midnight eyes. "I don't like sharing."_

_Itachi and the clone stiffen, their eyes a bit incredulous as they stared at Shisui._

_"Not you," Shisui said chortling. "I meant Sakura."_

_"I know what you meant, Shisui." Itachi growled as they resume their progress at increasing speed, anger gleaming in Itachi's dark orbs, face turning into granite. "But you don't own Sakura."_

_Shisui raised a brow at the statement. "Oh?"_

_"I'm her Captain," Itachi explained, clearly stating his claim. "I own her skills."_

_Shisui became curious the Itachi's revelation, a small frown marring his face underneath the bandages._

_"And are you sure that's all you want to own from her, Itachi?" Shisui queried, surprising the Anbu Captain that he craned his neck to look at him. Itachi looked at his best friend, eyes blank._

_If Shisui was expecting an answer from Itachi, he did not get any as Itachi remain silent._

_Shisui was now intrigued._

_The feeling of foreboding settled in their hearts as they arrived at Sakura's location. Dragging footstep echoed through the shallow cave as both men entered the rock shelter._

_Then the sound died as they came to a complete halt at the sight before them, their expressions frozen on their faces._

"_**Sakura." **__Itachi whispered, his eyes settling on the bloody form on the ground._

_--------------------------------------_

Itachi stared at the woman in the floor, slowly lowering his burden on the ground, his body moving in automation. The medic bag and the kunai pouch he was carrying landed beside Shisui with a soft flop.

Then he walked towards the woman, his movement slow as if disembodied. Images flying in his mind; memories moving back to the time when he had first met the woman.

To the day that he realized her existence.

_---------------------_

_**Flashback**_

_Breath a soft pant as Itachi threw kunai after kunai towards the target, his eyes closed as the kunai flew in the air and towards his aim with deadly accuracy and precision. He was hanging upside down on the branch, another kunai grasp securely in his hands. His ponytail dangling from his nape; the hard planes of his stomach gleaming with sweat; revealed as the hem of his shirt were drawn down by gravity._

_He twirled the kunai in his hands for the second time after hearing the sharp clink of metal as his kunais hit the target. The second pair of kunais were thrown, his target 30 meters away from his 12 feet position from the ground, the weapons descend on the target with increasing speed. There was another sharp clink, his weapon piercing through the red circle in the middle of the target._

_He took another kunai from the branch he was hanging, the deadly weapon having purposely embedded there for this kind of training. He raise his upper body, the muscles on his abdomen bulged as he reached out for the kunai. Splinters of wood fell 12 below him as he pulled the kunai from thee rough branch._

_He did it with his eyes still close, using his photographic memory to locate the objects from his blind spot. He would not depend on his sharingan any more. The power of his kekei genkei was nothing compared to using his other senses._

_He let his body resume to its original position, the kunai twirling in his hand, the sound of whirls breaking the silence in the Uchiha training ground._

_**SNAP.**_

_His ears train to the sound of the twig snapping, the sound came from 20 yards west of his current location. The snapping of twigs continue to resound around the dense forest, the intruder not caring to mask his presence as he approached the area._

_He opened his eyes, immediately scanning the perimeter with his spinning sharingan. The unknown intruder was closing his distance; he was now 5 yards from Itachi's position. His nine years as Anbu Captain of Team 3, made him cautious. He moved with deadly purpose, grasping the branch in his hand, he swung himself to the trunk of the tree, summoning his chakra to his feet as he did so to attach himself to the tree._

_With him standing on the tree, the branches below him serving as cover, but not enough. He waited patiently and with coiled tension for the intruder to arrive in his location, his kunai drawn, ready for an attack as the unknown intruder finally revealed himself._

_His eyes shifted a fraction as an emotion passed fleetingly across his imperceptible orbs. Watching carefully as how the woman-child came to a stop at the foot of the tree where he was currently perched. He stayed still, closely observing with keen indecipherable eyes when she placed the bento box she was carrying near the tree. Then watched with great curiosity as she sat herself beside the bento, arms wrapped around her drawn knees, obviously waiting for someone._

_Imagine his surprise when she called for him._

_"You can come down now," The girl called loudly, her voice echoing through the forest while her head remain staring a good distance away from her. Itachi's curiosity turns to fascination as he watches the girl._

_"I'm not going to hurt you."_

_The statement was spoken with amusement as the girl lean her head back against the trunk of the tree, while Itachi frown, watching the girl's upturn heart shape face; her eyes were close with a smile tagging at her lips._

_He did not move from his position, and merely stared at the back of the girl's head. The girl did not speak after that. The area had gone hush, except for the sound of blowing wind with the scent of autumn carrying along with it._

_Itachi decided to come down, but not through the girl's order. He was fascinated by the girl's unusual intrusion to his training. He hardly knew the girl personally. He only knew her as Sasuke's team mate and the Hokage's apprentice. Konoha's number 2 Top Medic and the list goes on. Yet they could not provide any specific details to the girl's characteristics or attitude. But one thing he got caught of was that the girl had temper that rivals the Hokage's._

_Itachi halted near the girl's head, his form bent while his heels were attached to the tree, he placed his face close to the girl's, hovering a foot from the girl's upturn face._

_"What are you doing here, Haruno-san?" He inquired in a soft whisper, his breath fanning the girl's bangs, trying to intimidate her by their close proximity._

_The girl did not open her eyes but smiled instead._

_"I'm here because of you, Uchiha-san."_

_He was aghast._

_And yet he was captivated by her._

-----------------------------------

Itachi came knelt down beside the woman, his arms wrapping her bloody form, blood dripping from her wounds as she slowly open her eyes.

"Captain?" She whispered, her eyes searching for his.

Itachi remain silent as he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her to him. Her head rolled to the side to land on his shoulder while he took out the kunai buried on her thigh. The wound bled profusely as the weapon was pulled out, blood streaking down her creamy skin and staining her underwear. Her other wounds had opened up, crimson smearing her entire body. The bandage laying discarded on the ground while blood was pooled with her blood.

"Captain." The girl sighed against his neck while he threw the kunai to the side, the metal clanking as it hit the ground. Itachi pulled her closer to him and did not say anything.

Guilt creeping in his being as he cradled her in his arms, his jaw clenched. sharingan eyes spinning ominously.

Whoever did this to her, he was going to pay.

"You should stop the bleeding, Itachi." Shisui broke the silence with his rational thinking as Itachi had lost his; mind preoccupied with revenge and the inevitable death to his enemy.

Itachi turn to look at the man who had been moved beside him by his clone. Shisui was sitting down with the clone supporting him, his midnight eyes assessing the wound on Sakura's thigh.

Itachi nodded his head in acknowledgment to Shisui's suggestion and took the medic bag that his clone extended to him. He set to work while he laid Sakura's head on his lap, his hand taking a fresh white cloth to replace the make-shift bandages that he had made last night.

The cloth was soaked with her blood as he pulled the bandages from her wound. He took an antiseptic from the medic bag and poured it all over her wound, the half conscious woman hissing as the sterile saline came in contact with her wounds.

He then gave a blood clotting pill to her, making her swallow the pill to stop the bleeding for good. After that he wrapped the new set of cloth around her neck, and made sure that it was tight, but not enough to choke her. This was done in a matter of how many seconds, using his speed to prevent any further decline on her blood supply, wrapping another bandage on her shoulder, where he had thoughtlessly wounded her.

He was far from noticing Sakura's nakedness as he stop her bleeding, his hands often brushing her bare skin. Concern was evident in his eyes as his work over her. Sakura's eyes were closed as he maneuvered her to a sitting position, immediately wrapping the bandage around her to stop the bleeding on the wound near her sternum. Her skin was slightly cold, and her face was pale; due to the amount of blood that she had lost.

He moved to the wound on her thigh, preparing to wrap the bandage around the wound when Shisui's words made him froze.

"She's been poison,"

Itachi whipped his head to look at him, his eyes going to the kunai Shisui was surveying with a grim expression on his face.

"This kunai had been dipped with poison before it was used." He whispered, his sharingan eyes never leaving the kunai he was holding with his good hand.

He drops kunai on the ground before turning to Itachi, whose face had gone pale.

"She's going to die if we fail to extract the poison from her system."

Itachi close his eyes at the news. Neither of them knew how to extract a poison, and Sakura was incapable of doing it herself; pain surging inside him as he realized this.

He could not do anything to help her.

Neither of them could do anything.

Yet losing her was never an option to Itachi

He would save her no matter what.

He gritted his teeth, and slowly opens his eyes, meeting Shisui's midnight orbs.

"We're going back to Konoha," His sharinagn span as he said those words. "We would no longer be delaying."

Shisui nodded his head in understanding. They don't have the time to delay in going back to Konoha to mislead there enemies, choosing the short route was the best prerogative to save Sakura.

"Do you know how much time does she have left, Shisui?" Itachi asked, after he was done bandaging the wound on Sakura's thigh. He scooped Sakura from the ground and placed her securely in his arms.

Shisui look uncertain, trying to calculate the hours when the poison would instantly took effect after it had been induce. The time that he had spent with his team mate, Inuzuka had told him a lot of things about poison, the canine lover had been self-proclaimed poison expert. The near brush of death when Inuzuka's dog got hit by a poisonous senbon, had convince his team mate to become their personal expert and Shisui had only been unfortunate to hear the woman rant about the stuff.

Now, it had become useful. But he could only deduce the extent of the poison spreading.

"Maybe 3 days," He responded, watching as Itachi stood carrying Sakura's form. "But I'm not sure. It might be more or even less than 3 days."

His team Captain turns to look at him, his eyes ice cold.

"Give me an exact answer, Shisui." Itachi commanded in dangerous low tone, making Shisui gulped.

"3 days." He replied hastily.

Itachi stared at him.

"_**Then we will arrive in Konoha before three days."**_

_**

* * *

**_

They race through the forest, their form a blur. Itachi was carrying Sakura while Shisui was being carried by Itachi's clone. They did not stop, except to take water from a stream. Then they start again.

Time flew and the sun dipped in the horizon as they became tired, yet they did not rest. They race against time in hopes to save Sakura, and still they were two days away from Konoha. They were still far away.

Shadows lurked in the night as they run. Their form now discernible as they became chakra exhausted and Itachi was left with no choice but to rest for short hours. His clone had disappeared, after his chakra had run out, leaving Shisui to fall 6 feet from the ground. His friend had landed with a broken ankle and a bruised behind when Itachi landed beside him, looking worse for wear.

They were both tired.

"We would rest for 5 hours." Itachi stated to Shisui, who was sitting, his form slumped on the tree. "That's all the time we need to refuel our chakra."

He carefully placed Sakura on the ground, and set for camp. It was a matter of 30 seconds that Itachi built a heart at the middle, the fire blazing, providing them warmth and light and creating shadows while the trees swayed with the wind.

They had crossed the borders of the Hidden Village of Waterfall, almost nearing their destination.

Itachi placed Sakura's head on his lap and stared at the fire, her form curled and unmoving as he absently placed a hand on her shoulder. A strong gust of wind blew against them, the fire flickering on the hearth while Itachi run his hand carelessly through his disarrayed hair.

"I never did ask you why your hair had gotten short."

Itachi look at the man sitting against the tree then back at the fire; a deafening silence preceded.

The sound of crickets chirped in the background as Shisui waited.

"I cut it."

Shisui stared at him before he too stared at the fire. He knew that Itachi was lying. He also knew that Sakura must have something to do with it, but he did not pry. This was not the right time to be joking around.

"Have you killed one of the enemies?" He asked after a few minutes of silence, his lips set in a straight line while his face sullen.

There was a pause as Itachi took seconds to answer.

"Aa."

Shisui looked at him, his eyes curious. "Who was it?"

"Deidara," Itachi responded quietly, his eyes still on the hearth, the image of the fire reflected on his eyes. "The artist bomber."

Another silence as both men contemplated, not noticing the woman on Itachi's lap had fluttered her eyes open, listening to their conversation. Nor did they notice the look of defeat that passed across the woman's eyes when she heard the death of the blonde artist.

She finally found out that she never did save her Captain from anything. It was only a false hope that she had done something equally important to their team, aside from healing and protecting the injured.

She was useless.

Sakura's eyes fluttered close, her heart thumping weakly against her chest. Pain settled in her heart while a tear fell from her eye.

Her time was running out, and in the last few days, she hadn't done anything to leave a legacy. She hadn't done anything that would make an impact to her remaining days as an Anbu, and as a kunoichi of Konohagakure.

"The only enemy left is the puppeteer," She heard Shisui speak as her mind drifted. "He must have been the one who poison Sakura."

Sakura felt the hand on her shoulder tightened, and her heart thudded when she realized that her Captain care about her. Yet she only did was become a nuisance to him, going against his order and then falsely stating that she had save him when she hadn't at all. Now his hair was short because of her.

She slowly opens her heavy eyes to stare unsteadily at the fire in front of her.

"Captain," The hand on her shoulder stilled as she murmured inaudibly.

The wind blew, a leaf fell slowly descended on the ground while Itachi waited for her to continue, his hand remain still on her shoulder.

"Gomenasai," The man behind her stirred at her words while Sakura drifted back to unconsciousness, her emerald orbs dimming. "I didn't do anything important for the team..."

"_**I couldn't do anything for you."**_

Her time was limited as sleep envelops her, choking her with its poisonous grasp while Itachi watched her, his eyes dark.

"_Sakura,"_ Itachi thought, watching the fire light playing over Sakura, her face shone with a gentle glow.

_"You did do something important for me."_

"_Just by being here made me feel…"_

_

* * *

_

_"What are you doing here, Haruno-san?" He inquired in a soft whisper, his breath fanning the girl's bangs, trying to intimidate her by their close proximity._

_The girl did not open her eyes but smiled instead._

_"I'm here because of you, Uchiha-san."_

_Itachi stared at her aghast, closely scrutinizing her features while the wind blew, whipping their hair. The forest was silent as he waited for her to do something equally disarming. _

_The woman fluttered her eyes open, emeralds orbs peeking at him through incredibly long lashes. Itachi became engrossed as their eyes meet; her eyes captivating him. _

"_I'm here because I lost to a bet," She whispered, her face slightly flushed as she gazed up at his hovering form, her breath brushing across his skin. "And the consequence is that I have to spend a day with you."_

_Her honesty made Itachi stare, completely and utterly at lost._

"_Would you mind if I do?"_

_Itachi could not answer, his eyes staring into her brilliant orbs. _

"_I'll take that as a no," She said immediately while Itachi did not make a sound of protest as he continues to stare at her._

_The woman made at tiny yet distinguish fidget under his intense gaze, he was beginning to make her uncomfortable. Itachi did not make a move to rectify the matter. _

"_I brought some lunch." She murmured, her face suffused with color but she did not tear her gaze from him. Clearly not intimidated, and was obstinate for not backing out from this 'bet' as she had honestly admitted. _

"_And I would like it if you join me." The woman said daringly, her eyes did not waver after stating the invitation which immediately caught his elusive attention._

_Something was drawing him to her, and it was this invisible magnet that had him land on the ground to sit opposite to her, accepting her invitation without even considering it.  
_

"_Arigatou." She whispered gratefully, her eyes warming while Itachi felt something unusual as he gaze into her eyes._

_He suddenly felt…... _

_

* * *

_

"…_.needed." _He thought as he gazed over her form, his eyes glinting with sadness. _"And I would do everything in my power to keep it that way."_

"Itachi," He turned his head to side to look at his cousin, who had just called him.

Shisui's eyes were grave as Itachi look into them.

"You better leave." Itachi suddenly knew what was Shisui was talking about and he stiffens at the statement after Shisui had uttered the words. .

"No." He responded, voice not leaving any room for protest. "I'm not going to leave you here Shisui when you're in that condition."

The man's face hardens into a cruel line, his jaw clenched as he gritted out. "And are you going to let me become another burden to you when Sakura needed immediate medical care? She would die within two days if I keep on delaying. You have used up your chakra to make a clone to support me."

"Shisui," Itachi began, his face had turn into granite after hearing what his cousin was trying to persuade him with the use of his cold rational thinking. He was not going to leave him, and he was not going to let Sakura die.

He was not going to lose them both.

"I'll bring both of you back to---"

"She's dying Itachi! Can't you understand that?"Shisui cut in angrily.

Itachi gritted his teeth, his eyes glittering with anger. He understands it too well that he wish that he was apathetic as everyone thought of him to be. Yet he couldn't do that because he was already in too deep.

He cares for her.

"I understand the situation clearly, Shisui." He said regarding his cousin with unfathomable eyes. "But I won't leave you."

Shisui closed his mouth, glaring at the younger Uchiha who was showing his iron clad resolve. Uchiha Itachi was not going to bend down and comply to his humanitarian request.

-----------

5 hours ticked by and the Uchiha's resume their journey, dozing the fire off and hiding their tracks as they launched themselves yet into another long hours of travel.

They had refueled their chakra, though not enough as Itachi's clones disappeared with a puff of smoke when they had traveled a good distance away from their camp.

Shisui landed 3 feet from his former position to the ground with another bruised behind and a sprain.

"Oofff," The man said, his butt badly beaten after two times of falling.

"Are you alright?" Itachi asked as he stood over his friend and cousin, who groan in response. He observed the pain written in Shisui's face with calculating eyes.

"I'll make another clone. We have to arrive in Konoha before---."

"Itachi," Shisui stopped him as he looked up at his cousin. "We're running out of time."

Itachi's countenance went rigid as he listened, still carrying Sakura's form in his arms.

"You will lose what's left of your chakra if you keep on making clones for me." Shisui explained, his eyes a beseeching light. He was going to sacrifice himself for the sake of Sakura, who had become something important to him as well for Itachi. She was his friend. His team mate.

"She will die, Itachi."

Itachi did not move a muscle as he gazes down on his cousin, his eyes not giving anything as he make a decision; moonlight filtering through the layers of thick foliage, the shadows shrouding them while Itachi's emotions battled.

He was choosing between his best friend and his…his….new subordinate. Yet he was compelled to save Sakura's life. Perhaps, the thought of her dying made him decide to choose her than his best friend, who had been with him as long as he could remember.

"Shisui," Itachi said, eyes solemn as he addressed the man lying on the ground. "I trust that you can protect yourself if I safeguard your presence."

"Hai."

"Good," Itachi said, forming a hand seal for a genjutsu that would ensconce the entire area, a complicated jutsu that had been created by their clan to protect their children and women during the time of war, serving as an evacuation site when there was no place to hide. He carefully raised a hand towards his mouth while cradling Sakura's form, his arm securely wrapped underneath her. "Then there will be no problem when I leave you here."

He bit his thumb. The ruby droplets of his blood falling to the ground, the genjutsu immediately disperse to cover the entire area. Itachi gently draw his hand around Sakura's form as he stared straight at his cousin. His life force that he had use to make the genjutsu, pulsating around them, invisible.

"I will send a team to retrieve you once we arrive in Konoha." He said, gazing at the form on the ground. "I will see you within a day."

Taking one last look at his friend, Itachi then stepped out from the genjutsu, disappearing into the night with Sakura held in his arms.

Risking everything for the sake of the woman who had first fascinated him then turn into something else.

Itachi breath came into soft pant as he leap from tree to tree, his hair and clothes whipping at his speed. The woman in his arm hadn't moved. She remain as still as a doll, fragile and beautiful,almost on her death bed.

Poison was eating up her time.

-----------------------------------------

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_**If you have a question or your confused about this chapter or this story. Please PM me or write it in the reviews. I'll answer to your every question personally, but not all of them. I can't reveal to you some stuff that would be later revealed in the next chapters. I hope you can understand. **_

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_My story is first and foremost your stories. You and I created them._


	4. Imminent Death

_**-------------------------------------**_

"_**RAVEN"**_

_**Itachi and Sakura**_

_**Rated M**_

_**Romance/ Angst**_

_**Chapter 4**_

_**-----------------------------------------------------------**_

_Because_

_I have known despair_

_I value hope_

_Because _

_I have tasted frustration_

_I value fulfillment_

_Because _

_I have been lonely_

_I value love_

_By Leonard Nimoy_

_**RECAP**_

"_She will die, Itachi."_

_Itachi did not move a muscle as he gazes down on his cousin, his eyes not giving anything as he make a decision; moonlight filtering through the layers of thick foliage, the shadows shrouding them while Itachi's emotions battled._

_He was choosing between his best friend and his…his….new subordinate. Yet he was compelled to save Sakura's life. Perhaps, the thought of her dying made him decide to choose her than his best friend, who had been with him as long as he could remember._

"_Shisui," Itachi said, eyes solemn as he addressed the man lying on the ground. "I trust that you can protect yourself if I safeguard your presence."_

"_Hai."_

"_Good," Itachi said, forming a hand seal for a genjutsu that would ensconce the entire area, a complicated jutsu that had been created by their clan to protect their children and women during the time of war, serving as an evacuation site when there was no place to hide. He carefully raised a hand towards his mouth while cradling Sakura's form, his arm securely wrapped underneath her. "Then there will be no problem when I leave you here."_

_He bit his thumb. The ruby droplets of his blood falling to the ground, the genjutsu immediately disperse to cover the entire area. Itachi gently draw his hand around Sakura's form as he stared straight at his cousin. His life force that he had use to make the genjutsu, pulsating around them, invisible._

"_I will send a team to retrieve you once we arrive in Konoha." He said, gazing at the form on the ground. "I will see you within a day."_

_Taking one last look at his friend, Itachi then stepped out from the genjutsu, disappearing into the night with Sakura held in his arm; risking everything for the sake of the woman who had first fascinated him then turn into something else._

_Itachi breath came into soft pant as he leap from tree to tree, his hair and clothes whipping at his speed. The woman in his arm hadn't moved. She remain as still as a doll, fragile and beautiful, almost on her death bed._

_Poison was eating up her time._

-------------------------------------------------

Itachi run like his life depended on it. He ran like a man pursued by demons…his inner demons.

He was afraid to face the reality as the woman he cared about was dangling in strings, almost at the end of her time, on the verge of her demise.

He was not going to face the truth once she died. He grasps the memories that he had with her in sheer desperation; he was not going to lose her. He still needed to know more about her. The years observing her from the distance was not enough for him. He wanted, he needed, and he desires to have her, to know every single bit about her. He was tired dissembling his true feelings.

Haruno Sakura was his to explore. The mystery that he had seen in her eyes, the contradiction of which she held herself.

He was not going to lose the puzzle that he was close to figuring out. The day that he had met her, had brought a folded and hidden mysteries into his life.

He had been drawn to her since the beginning, and still he couldn't get any closer to her. He was trap in the web that she had unconsciously spanned around him; a web that he had willingly confined himself. As long as he knows she exists, he existed.

She was like a breath of air to him; a crucial part of his life that he couldn't live without.

What had he gotten himself into?

He asked himself, leaping forward; his speed much lesser than before as his body protested; only a modicum of chakra left to propel him forward; becoming exhausted as he pumped his screaming muscles just to save the only woman who needed him, truly needed him.

Memories fleeting before his eyes, dawn fast approaching; their destination coming to a close as the imposing borders of Konoha rose from the distance.

They were almost home, yet he couldn't stop the feeling of dread as the sky brighten with streak of pink and orange, the sun slowly appearing over the horizon; a start of a new day. But for him, it was a beginning of an achingly slow descent towards an imminent heart ache.

"Captain," Itachi turn his head towards the woman in his arms, his eyes meeting hers; black tourmalines converging with her anguished-written malachite eyes.

And he knew that it was already too late. Something was lodge in his throat as he stopped in a branch, the woman in his arms regarding him with sorrowful orbs, an unusual gleam in her once bright and laughing eyes. His gut twisted with despair, pain surging towards his heart as he gazed at her.

"I want to see the sunrise." She requested softly, her eyes dark and imploring for him to understand.

This was her last wish, to revel over the splendor of the sun rise, luxuriating over their home before she perished peacefully.

Itachi tightened his hold on the woman. Then nodded stiffly while his was face was ragged, trying to stop the emotion from boiling forth inside him.

They were almost to Konoha, where she could get medical aid; but seeing the plea in her eyes and profound acceptance of her condition, he could not refuse her plight.

He could no longer refuse her. He had done it many times when he had requested her as the substitute for Inuzuka. He had ordered her not to fight because he didn't want to see any harm befall on her.

He knew that she was strong and capable kunoichi, but he couldn't help but feel that he needed to protect her at all cause.

She was fragile and delicate as the flower she was name after. And one wrong move, she would easily fall apart, like any withered flower, losing its color and its blossoms.

He blamed it on his selfishness for letting the Hokage assigned her to his team. Sakura had spent her time mostly with his little brother, who was slowly becoming fond of her. Even the Captain of Team 7, Hatake Kakashi had showed some interest with the pink haired beauty.

The kunoichi attracted men without actually realizing it. He guessed that it must have been the kunoichi's sunny disposition and congenial smile had drawn many men to her, the same way that he had been tempted by her innocent siren calls, though he was not going to allow any men to take her from him.

And it was this well hidden intention that led them there. He, cradling the dying woman he had come to care about.

The woman he had truly become attached to.

He leap to the branches above them, the wood recoiling as he landed on the branches as tried to reach the highest peak, where they could see the bright glory of the sun rise, fulfilling Sakura's wishes.

"Arigatou." Sakura said to him, her voice feeble, turning her head to the direction of the sunrise, her pink lustrous tresses whipping around her face as Itachi jumped to the top, the leaves falling underneath them while the wind intensified as they reach the top.

Itachi watched her. Memories fleeting before his mind's eye, remembering the warm smile aglow on her face every time he sees her.

Recalling the time when she had spent a day with him; a day where he found something unusual and interesting; the day where he found himself slowly falling irrevocably and secretly in love with her.

It was absurd of him to fall hopelessly in love with a woman who had been the first to have captivated him by her beguiling and irresistible smile.

* * *

"_Are you going to eat?" He remembered her asking him that when he had intently watched her eat the lunch she had provided. _

_He had not responded to her question since had been immerse in watching as how she placed her fingers inside her mouth after eating the Anko dumplings, licking the sweet taste of the syrup. _

_She had run her tongue all over each of her finger before she would resume eating her Anko dumplings. She had repeated it many times as she ate, but she had ignored his intense and discomfiting stare. _

_Perhaps after awhile of baring his observant gaze had made her decide to invite him again. Quite honestly, he hadn't minded watching her eat. She was such a fascinating specimen to watch. _

_He hadn't had a break as far as he could remember, and when she had imposed her stark presence there, it was quiet refreshing. Just watching her made Itachi feel at peace, even forgetting to take his kunai and continue with his training. The girl's sudden appearance had but clearly divested him off from any responsibilities in his hand. And he was beginning to enjoy her candid yet enchanting presence. _

"_Are you going to eat or not?" The woman-child repeated, scowling at him after it had taken him awhile to answer her former question. _

_Itachi inferred that the girl was the same age as his younger brother, about17 years old; a fresh age before she became a woman. _

_He regarded her slowly, roving his brash eyes from the top of her pink hair to her toes peeking from her ninja shoes. The woman-child turned a bright shade of crimson, but she ignored his blatant scrutiny while he continues to sear his eyes into the depths of her. _

_She was cute, Itachi have to admit, observing the blush on her cheeks. _

"_If you don't want to eat, then I have—"She whispered, looking slightly discomposed, her eyes not meeting his while he interrupted her. _

"_Haruno-san," Itachi said silkily, tangling Sakura with its smoothness, like the feel of black velvet; sinful and full of promise. The woman looked surreptitiously at him, her head cocked to the side; the adorable blush a prominent mask on her heart shape face. _

"_I'm not as ill-mannered as you think to refuse such 'tempting' offer." The woman flushed even deeper as he drawled the words, staining her cheeks with crimson hue. _

"_I would be honored to have your alluring company—" He began, trying to incite some comical and entertaining reaction from the flustered girl by using a double-entendre, which he knew would make the girl think twice before she could continue this 'spending a day with him'. _

"_And I would gladly accept what your offering and maybe…more." He said in a single heartbeat, his voice washing over her like cold water, making her a scant confounded. _

_The girl tense, her hand clenched on her pink skirt, wrinkling the cloth. Her eyes were wide with veering emotions while he continued on. _

"_What your offering looks delicious, and if I may add---"_

_He said feasting his eyes over her quivering form, his lids lowered, and a wry smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. _

"_Ravishing." His eyes glittered with enjoyment, his long lashes hiding his expression as he watched the girl blanched, , her hand fisting on her skirt, her knuckles turning white._

_The girl was becoming uneasy at his pretense. _

"_I think I'm ready to devour what you have prepared for me." He said softly, in a titillating yet dangerous tone. He stretched his hand in front of him, reaching out for her, watching as how the girl sucked her breath when his fingertips came in contact with her smooth skin. Her cheek was warm to the touch as her face flooded with more color. _

_He slowly drop his hands to her bento, a current of electric awareness tingled in his fingers, his eyes were now dark, his lips drew in a thin line as he took out the home made onigiri. He placed it inside his mouth, savoring the salty taste of the congested rice while his eyes watched the girl, whose countenance had become stiff. _

_Instead of seeing her flee from the area looking like a frighten little virgin, which indeed would have satisfied his earlier expectation. He had drawn a different reaction instead. _

_He could see the girl bristling with indignation, her eyes were bright pair of emeralds, green gems glittering with anger as she sent sparks of fire towards his direction while he ate the onigiri. His face drew a blank as if nothing untoward had occurred. Ignoring how his body had become aware of her person, the feel of her smooth skin had emblazoned into his photographic memory. _

_Envisioning the image of him touching the rest of her skin, would it feel as smooth and as tempting as the velvety texture of her cheek?_

_He cleared his head from his perverse thoughts and finished the ball of onigiri. _

_The girl remained frozen on her spot, a hand placed over her heart, a obvious sign that his touch had unsettled her, the same that it had done to him. _

_He could still feel the tingle when he had touched her. A preposterous feeling when he had touched many women before. _

_**Your fingertips across my skin  
The palm trees swaying in the wind  
Images**_

"_Where are you going?" She asked when he stood up, having consumed her delicious onigiri, and she having miraculously recovered from his sudden show of false interest. Yet, it had not been as false as he had realized, after feeling the tingle that the touch had evoke on him. _

"_Are you going to leave?" She asked, also rising while she hurriedly closed the bento box, intending to follow him._

_Itachi directed an disconcerting stare at the girl, trying to make the girl back out from the consequence of hers so called 'bet'. _

"_Yes," He replied smoothly, giving the girl an assessing stare. "I'm leaving." _

_The girl remained standing in front of him, her heart shape face peering up at his tall form while her eyes shine with determination. _

"_I'll come with you." _

_Itachi scan her exquisite features, a frown marring his handsome face. _

"_No," He said curtly, his eyes warning her. "You will not follow me."_

_Rejection and hurt shown in her eyes after he said the words, making him feel guilty. _

_**You sang me Spanish lullabies  
The sweetest sadness in your eyes  
Clever trick**_

"_Uchiha-san," She whispered softly, her eyes bright with sadness and hurt. "I offered you lunch and you accepted."_

_Itachi wanted to tear his eyes away from her, yet he couldn't as she directed her hypnotizing and compelling orbs at him._

_He was done for as he could not resist from the captivity that she had on him._

"_All I asked for you is allowing me to spend a day with you." She said softly, holding his gaze. "Just one day, Uchiha-san."_

_Itachi regarded her for a moment, relentlessly debating whether spending time with her would be such a good idea. _

"_Just one day." He thought as his gaze landed on her lips, which was slightly trembling. Something undeniably familiar flooded over his body, making him aware that he could not deny her, no matter what. _

_He was now her slave; a prisoner to her every whim. _

"_One day."_

_His eyes wandered back to her eyes, totally oblivious to where his gaze had lastly drifted. He could see the chaotic emotions in her eyes, anger, desperation, uncertainty and most of all determination. He could see that she was not going to back down if he tried to refuse her again._

_She would still continue to pursue him, until the day was over. And all Itachi could do was save her and himself the trouble._

_So he decided to accept her presence for the entire day._

_**Well, I never want to see you unhappy  
I thought you'd want the same for me**_

"_Fine," He said finally, after he had made Sakura wait for at least a minute and a half. "I'll allow you to spend a day with me."_

_The woman brightened, her lips widening into a smile, but instantly disappeared after she noticed that Itachi had left the sentence hanging. _

_Itachi could feel every cell of her body tensing while she waited. _

"_But on one condition," The girl stood in expectant silence as she waited for him to continue. "I'll be asking you something by the end of this day, in return for my accepting your request."_

_The girl stood frozen after hearing his words while Itachi pivoted and leapt towards a branch, a smile curving his lips. _

_Did she think that he was going to allow her to spend a day with him without a cause?_

_Well, she was mistaken. _

_He will have the end of the bargain before the day ended. _

_

* * *

_

_**[Chorus]  
Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream**_

"Captain," Her soft voice broke through his thoughts, his heart a tight ache on his chest as he gazed at the woman in his arms, whose pale face was turn towards the view in front of them, her eyes slowly losing its bright light. "Where's Shisui?"

Itachi averted his gaze from her, towards the direction of the mountain, where he could see the imposing walls of Konoha at the distance while pink and orange lights streaking the velvety skies, the sun slowly rising from behind the mountains.

"Captain." Itachi closed his eyes when he heard the weakness in her voice, his heart a painful throb as he finally responded.

"He's safe, Sakura." He said to her, his voice tight, a low rumble on his chest. "He's safe." He assured her; wanting her to stop talking, and just….just lay there contentedly in his arms, watching the sunrise with him, to forget all their worries for a short while.

_**I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?**_

"Oh." She murmured softly, and he knew that she understood him. She weakly turns her head to look at him, a penitent smile on her lips while she met his gaze. "That's good."

Then she turned her head side ways, the sun ascending, a backlight over the green mountains while Itachi slowly sat down on the branch, securely cradling Sakura in his arms, her forehead lying underneath his chin as she sat on his lap.

"It's beautiful." She murmured in appreciation as she watched the first ray of the sun raised, bathed the lands with its warm and gentle glow; over Konoha and over them, the comforting warmth seeping through Sakura's cold limbs, but not enough.

"Konoha." She sighed as she watched their Village flooded with light and Itachi drew her closer to him as he felt her becoming cold, trying to warm her.

"Our home."

Itachi tried hard not to clump his eyes as he listened to her sweet voice, the pain in his heart became a terrible ache while he focused his gaze at the breath taking sight in front of them.

This was painful.

_**  
So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
Should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do**_

_**

* * *

**_

"_And now that the day has ended," Itachi said to the woman who stood in front of him, they were standing at Itachi's training ground after he had made her follow him for hours. "I want you to do something for me." _

_Moving shadows making a silhouetted over them as the moon shone over the filters of think trees and branches above them, only a sliver of light casting a gentle light over the girdle of trees surrounding them. _

_Crickets chirp in the backdrop as Itachi paused. The suspense rising as Sakura waited with baited breath. _

"_I wanted you to cook my favorite food." _

_The girl's shoulder slumped with relief while Itachi inwardly grin. _

"_That's all?" She queried, clearly surprise. "I thought that you were…" Her voice faded away, a blush rising from her face, but Itachi couldn't see it clearly over the shadows that limned their features. _

"_You thought what?" He asked raising an eyebrow. _

_The girl closed her mouth, not saying anything. "Nothing, just forget it."_

_Itachi was curious, but he let the girl go. He must leave before his father could get suspicious of his unusual lateness. _

"_I wanted you to cook the list of food that I will send you tomorrow." He said over his shoulder, slowly departing. "I will need it for my mission."_

"_Hai, Captain." He heard her say, successful mimicking a subordinate of his team. _

_Itachi turn his head to look at the girl, who abruptly put her hand down after she had made a mock salute. He smirked to himself while the girl did not meet his gaze._

"_I expect you here by twelve tomorrow with my food." _

"_Hai." She jerked her head in a nod, her eyes going back at him. "I'll be here."_

"_Good." He said giving her a small smile. He did not make a move to leave, and continue to watch her. _

_**We walked along a crowded street  
You took my hand and danced with me  
Images**_

_There was an expectant silence as they hesitated. _

"_And Haruno-san," He said slowly, his eyes staring straight into her orbs. "I enjo—" He paused, suddenly deciding against it. _

"_Nice to have met you." He finished lamely before whirling around and making a beeline. But before he could even leave the vicinity, he heard the girl say behind him, making him stop on his tracks._

"_Thanks for the great day, Uchiha-san." She whispered shyly. _

_Itachi turn around to look at her, but she disappeared in to a flurry of Sakura blossoms; the flowers scattering around the place where she had been. _

_The girl had cowardly left him before he could even say something, afraid of his reaction towards her words._

_Itachi stared at the empty place where she was formerly standing, a small smile played across his lips._

"_You are most welcome, Haruno-san." _

_**  
And when you left, you kissed my lips  
You told me you would never, never forget  
These images **_

_**No**_

_The next day, he found the food hanging on the trunk of a tree. He had arrived on time, but Sakura had arrived earlier. Leaving the bento box hanging inside a red cloth; a kunai lodge towards the hem of the fabric, letting it hang suspended from the trunk. A clean note was attached to the kunai, totally astounding him by its contents. _

Here's your food, Uchiha-sama.

I have boiled your egg and molded the onigiris to the same size as your preferred ball. The dangos are especially made for you, so you better eat it up. Hopefully, you wouldn't choke to death.

I hope that you enjoyed the food that I have prepared for you, and break a leg on your way to your mission, Uchiha-sama.

P.S I haven't poison you food, so you don't have to hunt me down once you arrived back from your mission.

With utmost respect?

Haruno Sakura

_It took Itachi quiet sometime to realize that the girl was being boldly sarcastic towards him, but he didn't know what had gotten to girl's head to write such---such amusing letter. He thought after a moment of reading the letter for the fourth time, a low chuckle bursting out from his chest as he stared at the letter in his hands. _

_**Well, I'd never want to see you unhappy  
I thought you'd want the same for me**_

_Afterward, Itachi hadn't forgotten her, and had kept the letter at the deepest corner of his bedside drawer, reading it once in a while, yet it still did not fail to light a smile on his lips. _

_Every time he had a chance encounter with her on the streets or the Hokage Tower, he would always stop and stare at her. Always giving her his undivided attention when he passed her by, giving her a polite greeting then continue staring at her, watching her every move, every sway of her hips and the uneasy light in her eyes when she noticed his intense stare and impenetrable silence when they were in the same vicinity._

_Itachi hadn't realized it until it was too late. His unflappable fascination towards her had turn to the thing that he had most feared._

_He had come to love her without realizing it. At first he thought that it was only lust that made him seek her presence, he might even calling it stalking as he had kept on bumping into her in more instances in one day._

_Seeing her smile and her beautiful orbs made his day much more east to handle than losing the sight of it. _

_He was definitely in love with her. And he had been ashamed to have let the emotion control his action everyday, secretly acting like a smitten fool, lingering in the Hokage Tower just to have a glimpse of her. _

_It was even worst that she didn't even know that he was absolutely in love with her. And when other men tried to take the chance of him being with her, he finally decided to take the first step in drawing her closer to him, until she become familiar with him._

_But he never foresaw that it would lead to something dire._

_She was dying, and he was hurting inside as he watched her life fade away. _

_

* * *

_

_**[Chorus]**_

_**  
Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?**_

"Captain," He listened to her, his hand rubbing over her cold skin, trying to keep her there with him. "Do you remember what I told you before?"

Her eyes becoming a black hole as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, the imprint of the warm sun a distant memory to Sakura as she felt numb. The warmth radiating from Itachi also disappeared, only to replace by the creeping coldness, her death nearing.

"Hn." Itachi murmured, wanting for her to continue. His hand persistently creating heat over icy skin, but it was hopeless as Sakura's temperature drop.

"I once told you that I love your hair." She said in a feeble voice, her lids becoming heavy as the sun continued to mount over the pink and orange satiny skies.

"It always reminded me of something." She whispered smiling, looking sideways at the man holding her, the sun shone brightly over Itachi's lustrous hair, his shorten locks like rivulets of black velvet.

"Do you remember what that is?" Itachi turn towards her, his eyes not hiding his anguish at seeing her like that.

"No." He responded, trying to quell the pain that he currently feeling, his heart twisting into a painful knots as he was tormented by the sight of her dying.

He wanted to forget.

He wanted to forget that he loves her.

He didn't want to feel this heartrending pain.

And most importantly, He wished that he had never loved her.

He didn't want to this to happen to either him or her.

_**  
So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
Should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do**_

"I want you to remember it, Captain." She asked quietly, watching him through her lashes. "I want you to remember."

Itachi gazed at her, searching over his memories until he finally found the right one.

Then he remembered as if it was only yesterday.

* * *

"_Where are you taking me?" She remembered her asking him when he had left the training ground, trying to make her follow him. _

_They leap from branches to branches; leaves ruffled and fell to the ground as they jumped over the branches. The sky above them was streak with red and orange lights; the day was coming to an end. _

"_Are you going to answer me or not?" She asked angrily as she followed him while he remain silent, the area around became thick with trees as they run up the slight incline, their destination nearing._

"_What are we doing here?" She asked slightly surprise as Itachi stood on top of the escarpment, viewing their Village with great interest, his eyes roaming over the small houses and the distinct building of the Hokage Tower at the distance. _

_They were high up that they could see the entire heart of Konoha. _

"_It's magnificent." Itachi turn towards her when he heard the awe on her voice, his eyes landing on the fond smile on her lips as she watched over her beloved Village. _

"_Look!" She exclaimed, pointing at the sun over the Konoha borders. Itachi turn his head towards the direction where she was pointing and watched as how the sun slowly dipped from the horizon._

"_This is beautiful." She sighed as she stood beside him, her eyes glued to the sun set. "I never realized that there was place like this in Konohagakure."_

"_How did you find it?" She asked, her eyes not leaving the sun. _

"_I came across this placed accidentally while I was scouting this area." He responded nonchalantly, staring at the view._

"_And did you think it's beautiful when you saw the sun set?" She asked curiously, glancing at his direction. _

"_Yes." He succinct, not giving any more 'interesting' information. _

_A small tinkling laughter permeated the silence that followed and Itachi raised a brow at the woman beside him, silently asking what the woman found funny._

_**I cannot go to the ocean  
I cannot drive the streets at night  
I cannot wake up in the morning **_

_**Without you on my mind  
So you're gone and I'm haunted  
And I bet you are just fine**_

"_I can't believe that you of people enjoyed this kind of peaceful leisure." She explained, softly chuckling. _

_Itachi frowned at her words insulted and quite muffed. _

"_Haruno-san," He said in stony face, shooting her a piercing gaze. "You don't know me, and to judge me base on what you know little about me would make you even look less in my low standards in simple minded women, who think they know more about me than I know myself."_

_Sakura flushed with anger at being deemed as simple minded woman. Yet she couldn't retort back immediately as Itachi beat her to it._

"_So I asked to keep you opinions to yourself before you are labeled as such." _

_Sakura clumped her mouth close, her eyes glittering angrily, but she did not comment. She was furious, and afraid that she might beat the Uchiha to a pulp if he says another word to her retort. _

_She let her anger simmer down, her eyes going back to the sun, reveling on its splendor. Her tense demeanor turning into a cool one, a great facade to Itachi's observant gaze, who had become interested in her hair, red and orange streaks skimming over her pink locks like highlights, the sun set illuminating them. _

_**Did I make it that  
Easy to walk right in and out  
Of my life?**_

_**  
**__Sakura turn towards him, the soft glow of the sun casting an ethereal aura around her, her eyes still held her anger, but she did not allow the Uchiha the satisfaction to call her a simple minded woman again. _

_Her questing eyes ran over the massive slab of his shoulder to his narrowed waist, his incredible physique shamefully covered by the blue fabric of his Uchiha shirt. His sleek bangs blowing against the wind, the arched of his cheekbones a prominent line as the sun cast shadows over his beautiful face, defining every breath-taking curves and juts over his feminine yet distinctively male features. _

_The sun finally dipped from the world; taking with it it's bright and warm glow, and leaving a fairy tale light over the two people standing, seemingly on top of the world; the God and the Goddess of Mount Olympus, glorifying the end of another day._

_As the light of the sun faded away, Sakura's eyes drifted towards his hair, a lustrous black silk skimming down his back in a loose ponytail._

_A ghost of a smile appears over her lips as she compared his hair to the bird that she had often seen flying every spring; its magnificent black wings flapping against the strong winds, their eyes observant and penetrating. _

"_Did you know that I love your hair?" She said unexpectedly, confounding the Uchiha by her simple and quite inane statement. "It always reminded me of something when I look at it." _

_She said reaching out while Itachi watch her arm's ascent towards his hair, not stopping her. _

"_You know what that is?" She murmured, letting her hand fall to side as she realized what she was doing, a soft flush staining her cheeks as Itachi stared at her, looking befuddled._

"_It reminds me of a bird."_

_

* * *

_

_**[Chorus]  
Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?**_

"It reminds you of a bird." Itachi said finally gazing down at the woman who was waiting for him.

A small smile graced her lips, her eyes warming slightly. "Yes, that's what I told you." She said softly, regarding him through her lashes. "But do you know what kind of bird?"

"Sakura," Itachi murmured softly to her, his eyes remorseful as he met her unfocused eyes. "Don't talk."

She shook her head, protesting, but Itachi wouldn't have it. He was going to take her to Konoha and save her. He would save the remaining strength left in her to get through this. He was not about to lose her for nothing; the rays of the sun clearly visible in front of them as Itachi stood up from the branch, heaving Sakura securely and protectively in his arms.

"I'll take you home." He said to her, his voice rasping. He was about to leap down from the branch when she spoke.

"Not yet, Captain." She said, her head lying at the crook of his neck while she strained her eyes to stare at the sun rise. "I want to see the sun until I couldn't see anymore."

Itachi clenched his eyes closed, gritting his teeth when he heard her request. She was not going back, he knew by her statement. She was not going to back to their home, alive.

Their time was slowly running out.

Death awaited her as the sun rose higher, leaping out from the mountain that covered it.

_**So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you**_

Itachi could do only but watch as Sakura's eyes became empty pits of green, her sight disappearing, and soon it would be her voice.

She spoke for the last time, her eyes staring unseeingly in front of her, the sunrise a fading memory as she clung to life for the barest of thread, to speak to him.

"Captain," She whispered inaudibly, her head lying limply on his shoulder.

"Call me Itachi, Sakura." He said, his voice becoming hoarse as the pain built up inside his heart, a lump lodge on his throat, making it difficult for him to talk.

Kami, he felt like his heart wrenching as he stared at the woman, who was becoming detached to her body.

"Itachi," She said a smile on her voice as she spoke his name familiarly. "Even though I have known you quite a bit since we started this mission."

Itachi carefully listen to her, closely wrapping her small form to his heart.

He wanted to cry, but he could not shed a single tear for her. His tear ducts had dried out and could only watch her with despair in his eyes.

"I want you to know that I love you."

Itachi closed his eyes, placing his chin on top of her head. Deep down, he was silently mourning for her, and at the same time rejoicing over her admission.

"I don't want to leave without saying that to someone." She whispered, closing her sightless eyes. "All the good things that I have learned in this world are nothing compared to love."

Itachi made a strangled sound deep down in his throat as he listens. The terrible pain had turn to total devastation as she spoke, her words, her final breath.

"And I hope that you will learn to love the same as I did."

_**Should have known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do**_

The wind blew, gently brushing the strands of hair from Sakura's pale face, a smile across her lips while Itachi felt numb. He softly threaded his fingers through her silky locks, before running his hand over her cold cheek.

He drew her head closer to his, placing his mouth near her ear. His eyes full of emotions as he murmured to her, every word spoken achingly and tenderly.

"_**I love you too, Haruno Sakura." **_

_**

* * *

**_

_**6 months later….**_

Rain pounded over the form standing at the cenotaph, a solitary figure beneath the canvas of the deep gray skies. A single flower was place at the foot of the cenotaph. The pink flowers drenched by the rain as the man caressed the name carve on the cold stone, his Anbu gear soaking wet, his shirt and pants clinging to his tall form. While his dark eyes run over the name underneath his caressing hands.

"Captain," Another form suddenly appeared behind him, this one slightly small and apparently female. "The Hokage has given his orders. We are to head for battle."

The alarm around them still ringing, as the shinobi's of Konohagakure prepared to fight against the threat that had appeared in black and red cloaks.

Konoha was on the brink of war.

The Anbu Captain did not turn around, his eyes flashing red; the black tomoes whirring and then forming into the most formidable and infamous Mangekyou Sharingan.

The man beneath the wolf mask took one last glance at the cenotaph, before turning towards the woman, his shoulder length hair clinging to his neck and mask as he addressed the woman.

"Let's head out." He ordered before they disappeared, their presence not leaving a mark on the area.

The place remain undisturbed, the delicate flower slowly wilting as the drop of water fell on top of it, the petal slowly fell apart as smoke began to rise towards the sky, battle cries echoing from the distance.

Rivulets of clear of water slide down the smooth surface of the cenotaph, washing away the wilted flower at the foot of the large slab of stone, the pink petals floating over the surface of the water.

The scent of spring faded away, replaced by the smell of smoke, rain and blood.

Death hangs on the air while high above the mountain a lone black bird stood perched on top of the tree, observant eyes gazing at the distance towards the battle grounds.

There beside him, bloom the fragile and delicate cherry blossoms.

* * *

"_You know what that is?" She murmured, letting her hand fall to side as she realized what she was doing, a soft flush staining her cheeks as Itachi stared at her, looking befuddled._

"_It reminds me of a bird." Itachi looked at her, piquing his curiosity while Sakura gave a reluctant smile at his expression. _

"_The color of your hair reminds me of the black feathers on the bird I often see migrating during spring." She said turning towards the view in front of them, the sun disappeared while Itachi joined her, watching the last fading light of the day disappear from the sky, darkness slowly descending over their form._

_Itachi waited for her to continue and he was not disappointed as she immediately spoke again._

"_Your hair reminds me of a __**Raven.**__" _

_

* * *

_

_**THE END**_

--------------------------

_**What the heart has once**_

_**Owned and had, it shall never lose.**_

_**Of all earthly music, that which**_

_**Reaches the farthest into heaven**_

_**Is the beating of a loving heart.**_

_**-------Henry Ward Beecher**_

-------------------------------

The song is titled 'Almost Lover' by A Fine Frenzy. This song is really beautiful and really sad so you should better check it out. The song really suited this chapter, well in my opinion. I don't really know what you think.

Also, this is not the last chapter to Raven. To those folks who had wanted a happy-ending, this is the chapter. Though I really don't know it can be interpreted as a happy-ending.

The last and final chapter would be just an entire glimpsed to what really happen. And it will be full of angst, and I warn you it would be seriously dark. I will put the warning once the chapter is up. So I don't have to give you some spoiler.

I know that Itachi is really, I mean really OOC in this story. I made him so because he was the one in love with Sakura. I want to write a story where the role is reverse, Itachi is chasing after Sakura while Sakura remain oblivious towards Itachi's feelings.

I'll make this a random fic because of their out of characters, but I hope that you enjoyed this story, even though I made Itachi emotional while Sakura is acting like a doormat.

So yeah that's about it. If you have a question just leave it in the reviews or just PM me. I'll answer your question as best as I can without ruining this scant happily-ever-after or revealing the truth.

The final chapter would be titled as the 'Dark Truth'.

Since this chapter is full of Sakura and Itachi fluff and extreme angst, then the next chapter would be far darker, that you would even consider killing me for writing it.

_**Thanks for the reviews: Melodi Moon, Rhonda21, BlackOnyx83, Yui-chan453, equivocablyregretful, Amorfecent, JigokuShoujosRevenge, mypleasurableaddiction3945, ero-neechan, dona diva, utoi, XDmomopoppyXD, Redhellion, itachixxsakura888,AmaneUchiha, minniemousemom, kitten652, Regin, Midori Blossom. **_

_**Thanks for reviewing!!!**_

_**If you watched twilight, then imagine Sakura and Itachi standing perched on top of the tree where they watched the sunrise. And I would also like to suggest listen to the Linkin Park's Leave out all the rest while you're imagining it. **_

_**I would also like to ask you to write your suspicion to who really died on this story. I would reveal the person by the next chapter. **_

_**I will be happily awaiting your reviews!!!**_

**bloomsburry: **_If we see air as essential to our life, I see your reviews as essential to my story. Your reviews gives birth to this story, without them, this story would have never existed._

_My story is first and foremost your stories. You and I created them._


	5. Dark Truth

_**Thanks for the reviews: **_Melodi Moon, Alone in a blizzard, AmaneUchiha, Rhonda21, TeenageCrisis, Kitten652, JigokuShoujoRevenge, mypleasurableaddiction3945, Yui-chan453, dona diva, equivocablyregretful, utoi, XDmomopoppyXD, trsofnaruto, Yachiru443, Redhellion, Amorfecent, ero-neechan, SakuraxSasuke121.

Thank for the reviews, Mina. Hope you don't kill me for writing this chapter.

_**Chi-kosai: **_Give me you're best shot. Heated reviews will warm me for the entire winter. Don't leave nothing behind and tell what on your mind. This hasn't been edited by me, and I'm tired of going through it again because it's very long. My hands are already aching so forgive for the poor grammar and spellings.

So I warn you to proceed with extreme caution. To those who are faint-hearted, this is not for you. You may need a lot of ammonia to rid of the fainting spells. It is very delicate material.

So once again, don't sue me!!! This was the original plotline so, I won't change anything. I will be posting another chapter for the question and answer portion, if you're still confuse with my explanation and what not. Hope the next chapter will lift that confusion.

Hope you don't kill me by the end of your reading.

_**---------------------------**_

**RAVEN**

**ITACHI/SAKURA**

**ROMANCE/ANGST**

**FINAL CHAPTER**

_**--------------------------------------------**_

_**Recap**_

_Rain pounded over the form standing at the cenotaph, a solitary figure beneath the canvas of the deep gray skies. A single flower was place at the foot of the cenotaph. The pink flowers drenched by the rain as the man caressed the name carve on the cold stone, his Anbu gear soaking wet, his shirt and pants clinging to his tall form. While his dark eyes run over the name underneath his caressing hands._

"_Captain," Another form suddenly appeared behind him, this one slightly small and apparently female. "The Hokage has given his orders. We are to head for battle."_

_The alarm around them still ringing, as the shinobi's of Konohagakure prepared to fight against the threat that had appeared in black and red cloaks._

_Konoha was on the brink of war._

_The Anbu Captain did not turn around, his eyes flashing red; the black tomoes whirring and then forming into the most formidable and infamous Mangekyou Sharingan._

_The man beneath the wolf mask took one last glance at the cenotaph, before turning towards the woman, his shoulder length hair clinging to his neck and mask as he addressed the woman._

"_Let's head out." He ordered before they disappeared, their presence not leaving a mark on the area._

_The place remain undisturbed, the delicate flower slowly wilting as the drop of water fell on top of it, the petal slowly fell apart as smoke began to rise towards the sky, battle cries echoing from the distance._

_Rivulets of clear of water slide down the smooth surface of the cenotaph, washing away the wilted flower at the foot of the large slab of stone, the pink petals floating over the surface of the water._

_The scent of spring faded away, replaced by the smell of smoke, rain and blood._

_Death hangs on the air while high above the mountain a lone black bird stood perched on top of the tree, observant eyes gazing at the distance towards the battle grounds._

_There beside him, bloom the fragile and delicate cherry blossoms._

_**---------------------------**_

"_**The Dark Truth"**_

_**Warning: LOADS AMOUNT OF GORE!!!PREPARE A DISINFECTANT AND PERFUME TO COVER THE DISGUSTING STENCH OF DEATH AND SUFFERING. **_

Blood curdling cries rent the air with the sound of clashing metal against metal as both the opposing sides fight to there death. The deafening sound of explosions loudly resounding around the battle ground followed by a strong tumult; the soft sound of the sizzling fire became indiscernible as it consume the infrastructure of the Konoha walls and the uprooted trees and the dead bodies littering on the ground.

This was war; the wrathful manifestation of an Underground Lord.

-----------------------------

The sound of metal slicing through flesh and bones broke through the pouring rain, followed by a splash as the dead man collapsed on the puddle of water. His protruding organs immerse in the blood red water, half of his body lying in complete and disgusting heaps on the ground; undignified and pitiful in his death.

Tendrils of ruby run down on the Anbu's glinting weapon, to gather at the tip of the katana before it fell on the puddle of blood with a soft plop.

The Anbu stood over his fallen enemy, his sharingan glaring through the mask while he stared down at the man that he had killed in cold blood. He was unmerciful.

He was unforgivable.

"Captain," The wolf mask Anbu did not turn when he heard his subordinate's approach.

He remained icy, aloof as he darted a customary glance over his work.

"Are you alright?" The woman behind the Anbu mask asked out of propriety, looking over her Captain's well being.

The man took a moment to deign an answer to his inferior, casting a sidelong glance at the woman behind him when he responded in a monotonous tone.

"Yes,"

The woman merely assessed him with clinical eyes, entirely doubting his words.

"You're bleeding." The woman stated, observing as how streams of ruby to come in a cascade down his open wound.

The large cut on his upper arm was considerably deep and bleeding freely.

"Let me heal you." She said advancing on him with purpose, her intent medical.

"No."

The woman halted, gazing after her Captain with a frown knitting her brows. Her Captain was badly wounded, but she did not protest, nor voice out what was on her mind. Orders were orders, and she had to follow them even if she was extremely against her Captain's decision.

"Yes, Captain." She finally spoke, nodding her head as she obliged to his orders.

"Let's go." The man commanded expressionlessly, his hair lapping against his cold Anbu mask as the rain suddenly became heavy; the concrete view around them became a fragment, the plummeting raindrops a watery veil.

"Yes, Captain," She replied and they both disappeared, ready to eliminate any enemy that cross their path as they seek their target.

Her Captain's goal while she remains as his ever loyal servant, submissive to her Captain's imperious presence.

He was her master and she would follow him wherever he goes even to the ends of the world.

---------------------------

They found the man her Captain was looking for, his form crouched over a dead leaf nin while he divested off the man's innards and other vital organs.

Intestines and the man's blacken lungs slide limply from the red haired man hands as he took it out from the man's torn up body; clearly harvesting the man's internal organs while leaving the outer appendages intact.

Blood was trailing down the man's bloody hands, the intestines slowly sliding to the ground when he stood up from his position when he finally noticed their stealth arrival.

Molten chocolate eyes stared at them from his handsome cherub-like features. An angelic smile gracing his perfectly sculpted lips as he directly spoke to the man behind the wolf mask.

Mangekyou Sharigan whirring, the air around them crackled as the Anbu Captain failed to disguise his deadly intent.

"An Uchiha, ha?" The red haired spoke, his eyes looking bored, his lips barely moving as the words left his mouth.

"It's been a while since I last seen an Uchiha," The small smile widen into a crazy smile before he said.

"Left to die."

The Anbu Captain disappeared as he draws out his katana, his speed incredible, aiming his katana towards the man, smirking at his show of temper.

There was a loud clung as metal clashed with metal, followed by a screeching sound as both the opponents trying to throw off the other one.

His eyes widening with shocked as he gazed at the woman forcing her katana against him. The woman's features vacant, her emerald orbs empty as she held her black katana against him.

"Sakura," The name tore from his lips involuntarily as he keeps his weapon from sliding, fighting for dominion, yet they became in equal footing as the Anbu slowly losses his will to fight. His anger dissipated, turning to shock as he lifted stared at the painfully familiar woman he was fighting.

"What-How?" He asked in complete bewilderment, his muscles straining to push his katana forward while it slides against the woman's eerily familiar Anbu katana, a screeching sound emitting from both their clashed weapons.

"You're alive?" He finally asked the question that utterly left him to seek more answers. "But how?"

A low cruel laugh came from the man Sakura was protecting, evidently prepared to enlighten him.

His attention jerked back to the man standing behind Sakura, a smirk gracing the man's fine features.

"So it seems you knew my new toy?" The man said. "I work equally hard to gain this priceless possession, and all my work was never put to waste once she became mine."

The Anbu hissed, an angry sound from deep his throat as he glared at the man, his Sharnagn whirring ominously.

"May I introduce to you," The man said smiling. "my new puppet."

Sakura pulled her katana away from his weapon before launching for another attack, her movements controlled by the red head.

"The one who placed the deadly blow to her Captain," He said without preamble, moving his nimble fingers that connect the chakra strings to the Sakura's body while the Anbu moved to get away from Sakura's attack. "Sakura."

"Sasori of the sands," The Anbu stated through gritted teeth, his eyes burning a hole at the red head. "You will die."

He drew his katana in front of him just a second earlier to deflect Sakura's fatal swipe. He jumped back, and then skidded to halt while he watched the pink haired woman surged towards him for yet another attack. His eyes not leaving the man that he had sworn to kill.

"I will fulfill what I came here for," He said in a grim tone, stabbing his katana on the ground while electricity pulsated from the weapon after infusing his chakra in it; raindrops slide across the cold smooth surface of the blade as he took his hand away from the hilt.

He would end this swiftly without damaging Sakura's body. His earlier shocked wearing off as he realized that the puppet was not Sakura. She was already dead a long time ago.

The chakra blade that had been infused by his lightning nature shot blue electricity from the blade and zigzagged towards the advancing woman, whose empty gaze lifted towards his.

"_Sakura,"_ He thought as he watched the electricity shot towards her, blue lights erupting from the ground to creep over her form. _"I'm sorry that I wasn't there to save you…or Itachi."_

The improve raikiri drew precariously close to Sakura, who had paused as the puppeteer realized the threat that his enemy had presented.

The puppeteer pulled the chakra strings back, but it was not to fast as the lightning wrapped around Sakura's leg before spreading out.

The lighting entrapped the woman. Electricity surrounding her in its blue glow as he make his move, forgetting his subordinate standing beside him, whose form had turn to stone as she gazes at the woman who been her rival and her best friend.

"_I will avenge you both."_ The Anbu Captain thought as he run in full speed, moving towards his target. His Sharingan spinning and bled into Mangekyou, summoning all his chakra to his eyes and preparing to launched his deadly and formidable attack.

Amaterasu.

His enemy's eyes widen when the black flames appear in the Anbu's line of vision, consuming and destroying the entire area where his eyes had landed.

The black flames aimed towards the red head who tried to shield himself by the dead leaf-nin that he had been extracting organs from.

His Amaterasu blasted through the dead body, and towards the man standing behind it.

A drop of rain trickled down his nose as he watched carefully when the cloak of the red head was singed by the inextinguishable flame. A cry of pain erupted from the surprised red head, who tried to take off his cloak, but the black flames had already leaped towards his body, destroying everything on its way.

It will be a matter of minutes before the red head perished.

His attack had been his trump card. He hadn't revealed his new power to the people that he had fought. And his decision had not been fruitless as he watched the flames made a clean trail over the red head's form.

No one knew about his Mangekyou except for the person that he had killed to gain such god-like power.

The black flames laved over the man's body, scorching over flesh and bones while the man screamed in excruciating pain; his suffering and horror showed on his peeling face. Burnt flesh and bones exposed as the flames lapped at him, cleaning off the stench of death that clung to his pores.

The man's death was swift, and he began to regret it for ending the man's life abruptly. He wanted to make him live for days as what the rouge-nin had done to the man that he had admired and respected.

Two days of endless agony and suffering had broken one of the strongest elite shinobi's. Two painful days where the man he had hero-worshiped, had been left with nothing but the memories of the woman he loved, being treated like an animal.

"_I will avenge your death, Itachi."_ He thought as he strode towards the man, thrashing and groaning on the ground, the flames consuming him.

"_I will avenge what he did to you and Sakura."_ He stood over his enemy, his eyes whirring back into Mangekyou Sharingan, ready to use his second formidable doujutsu.

"_I can never forgive someone who had hurt my friend,"_ His eyes began to bleed, the ruby droplet trailed down his cheeks and down his strong chin as he gazed into the eyes of his enemy, who regarded him with pain glinting his eyes. _"And much more for hurting a kin of mine."_

The Mangekyou stopped spinning, and pierce towards his enemies mind, immediately entrapping his enemy in his Tsukoyumi. The chilling scream resounded around the area, breaking the reverie of the Anbu woman standing on the background, doing nothing.

The pink haired woman enshrouded by the blue sparking lights, stared unseeingly at the area in front of her. The chakra strings attached to her body had been severed, disabling her to move.

The black flame continues to consume the writing man while the torture commences. His eyes constricted as he went deeper into the black and hellish of the Tsukoyumi.

* * *

There was a soft crackle as the leaf was crushed underweight of the Anbu, whose form a blur as he run. The wind billowing against him and the woman he was carrying in his arms, ruffling there hair.

A faint heartbeat was silenced by loud thud of the Anbu's heart, The woman in his arm's clinging to her life by the last thread, darkness closing her in and almost on the brink of dead.

There was a dull thump when the Anbu jumped over the branch, the wood recoiling while the leaves rustled, detaching three or four leaves before it slowly trailed to the ground. The Anbu was gone before the first leaf brushed against the dewy grass.

They were almost there.

They were almost home……

Blood weakly pumping on the veins of the woman whose features were stark white and her lips frozen into a smile. The Anbu Captain starts to perspire and exhaustion settling into his overworked muscles. His breathing came into a rasped a short and quick inhalation to supply oxygen in his lungs before expelling out with a loud puff.

Every nerve and muscle in his body compensating for his insufficient oxygen and the reflux of blood around his surrounding organs. While the creatinine and the built up of lactic acid strained his aching muscles.

Yet his resolve had not broken, and used half of his power to save the woman in his arms; the only woman who held his heart.

A faint heartbeat was the only thing that held his blind hope by a bare thread.

There was a rushing sound, a katana appearing out of no where, and missing Itachi a scant inches.

The raven haired Anbu jumped to side, avoiding the thrust of the deadly katana, the fabric of his shirt tearing when the weapon caught it.

He landed on the mossy ground below, his eyes hastily scanning the area for the unknown attacker.

A kunai flew towards his direction, aiming for his head. Moving with blind speed while his muscles protested, Itachi dodged the glinting weapon.

The embedded itself in the tree while Itachi moved to avoid yet another attack. Shurikens twirled in mid-air and towards him, he used a Kawairami no justu to substitute himself into a log.

The shurikens hit the wood in succession, the sound of the metal piercing the wood neglected. Itachi lifted the woman securely in his arms while he waited for his assailant to attack him, his sharingan working, easily detecting the slight movements of the forest; extending his senses to trace his enemy.

There was a soft rustle of leaves and he leap, his steps light and fast as he appeared before his enemy, holding Sakura tightly against him as he pulled out a kunai and plunge it down on the man.

The kunai buried into the man's neck, and made a wide swipe to cut the man's neck when he was lurked forward when the man kicked him, hitting both him and Sakura.

He was propelled back by the force of the blow and slammed into a tree, the air in his lungs knocked out.

He made a rise; Sakura lay limply on his lap when all of a sudden there was blade place on his neck, piercing his skin.

Itachi stared at the man in front of him, the kunai that he had thrust still lodge on the man's neck, but the wound did not bleed.

And the man was neither dying, nor choking in his own blood

The man remained standing with a fatal wound on his neck. Itachi realized who he was facing.

His enemy was the man who had made puppets out of the enemies that he had defeated; the same person who poison Sakura.

With repressed rage and the insatiable thirst for vengeance within him, he stared fiercely at the puppet, whose eyes remain as empty as the person in his arms. Like puppets attached to an invisible string. Yet this one was dead.

There was no time to waste.

And he would have to kill his enemy before Sakura was lost to him forever.

His movement indiscernible to the normal eye, but his enemy had years of better experience than him, and had foreseen the subtle shift of his movement when Itachi formed a seal for a genjutsu.

He half expected for the puppet to attack as he parted his lips to release the genjutsu. But instead the puppet remain still while a voice spoke behind him, the trunk of the tree a barrier between them while they stood on opposite sides, there backs against the tree with their form perched on the branches.

Separated, but united with the same primal instinct that they had inherited from their forefathers; to destroy and leave nothing behind. That was how ruthless and cold blooded shinobis work when someone stole something of importance from them, or tried to steal.

"I have the antidote," The words were spoken softly, with the hint of boredom as it drifted towards him. "I know how to cure your woman."

Itachi was kneeling down with Sakura in his lap, the puppet stood before him in the branch with a katana held above Itachi's throat, ensuring his place. He was silent, his hand had stilled into a final seal to activate the genjutsu.

"She will be saved if I give it to you."

Itachi became contemplative. His eyes skimming towards the woman in his lap, who lay limply with an arm above her stomach while the other one was place negligently to the side, fragile and delicate looking. Her face remained pallor in color and tilted to side, exposing the creamy curve of her neck, and the weak throb of her carotid vein; she was still alive.

The puppeteer held all the strings, controlling both their lives. He, at a neck point with the puppet while Sakura was dying, and the only thing that could save her was the antidote the puppeteer was offering.

But he knew that he could never trust his enemy.

He was not going risk Sakura's life for a false chance of hope. And he knew that the man has his own motive to offer such humanitarian act.

"I do not accept your offer." He said tonelessly, his expression closely hidden as released the genjutsu that would give him ample time to escape with Sakura.

He tore away from the puppet's deadly grasp as the darkness enfolds them, his sharingan allowing him to see through the genjutsu that he had cast. Blood oozed out from his wound when he sidled away from the katana, scraping his skin as the puppet tightens his hold on it.

His breath came into a loud puff as he flee, carrying Sakura's limp weight with him while the genjutsu disintegrated for a short seconds.

The puppet came after him as the genjutsu crumbled down, the darkness faded away and Itachi was on the run. Sweat dribbling down his chin to land on top of Sakura's shirt. He felt the puppet attack coming towards him, and then instantly moved out of the way before it hit him.

He ran while the puppeteer chase after him, his movement slowing down as he jumped this way and that to avoid his enemy's attack. His breath a gasp, desperately sucking for air as he became lightheaded, which totally puzzled him; black dots appearing before his eyes as he stops moving, his body frozen while his sharingan bled into black. He swayed on his feet and then he lurked forward, falling.

The branches meeting his fall; Hitting and scratching his face and neck, breaking his bone while the woman in his arms was forcefully torn from him. He could not feel anything as the ground rushed towards him, not able to feel pain or the blood that slide down his face, his body paralyzed, rendering him impotent.

His landed on the ground, his face brushing against the grass while he heard Sakura's frail body landed beside him, his eyes immediately assessing her features; running over the fresh scratches that covered her face and arms, but still unharmed. She looked like she was just sleeping, but he knew better. Poison was killing her inside.

His eyes stayed with her, staring at her beautiful features pressed on the ground beside him, unable to move, and hopeless. He could not save her now, unless…..

He heard the sound muffled footsteps and soft sound of rustling sound as his enemy approached his prone form; instantly feeling the stare boring on the back of his head as the red head puppeteer stood over him.

"You should have accepted my offer," The man stated, his pouting lips barely moving as the words passed through his mouth. "But I understand your decision." Itachi rolled to the side as the red head kicked him with his well manicured foot. Itachi glared up at him but without his sharigan this time.

"You made the right choice to reject my offer." He watched with wary eyes as the man walked around him and towards the Sakura's form. His eyes harden as the man scooped down and clamp a firm grip around Sakura's waist, allowing her to stand with the red head as her leverage. "And not allowing your love for this woman to blind your judgment." Itachi's eyes went cold as he listen, glaring at the hand caressing Sakura's cheek while the man smirk at his reaction.

"Yes, you have made a wise decision to never trust your enemy." The man savored each word in his lips while he nudged his nose on Sakura's ears. "But have you realized yet that you had indeed, trusted an enemy?!" The man's pupils turn into pinpricks as he grins diabolically at him, his hands wrapping around Sakura's neck and whispering something in her ears.

"Wake up, my puppet."

Itachi's eyes became still as he watched Sakura open her eyes, long lashes fluttering open to reveal her malachite orbs. His heart made a loud thump against his chest and his throat constricted when she stared back at him. Her eyes were glassy, and the lights that he had often seen in her orbs were gone. They were dead.

"_Sakura,"_ He thought absentmindedly, looking blankly at her; greatly troubled.

"She's no longer the woman you know." Itachi's eyes had narrowed, watching as she limp towards him, her movement mechanical while the red head man stood behind watching her, a craze smile plastered on his face. "She belongs to me now."

Itachi's eyes went cold as Sakura slide her katana out from her sheathe, hovering above him while she raised the weapon with both her hands, the blade glinting as she pointed the tip of her katana towards his heart.

"She is now my slave."

The katana swoop down towards him, getting closer and closer towards his heart as he held Sakura's empty gaze.

"_Sakura."_

The tip of the blade grazed his shirt, prickling his skin while blood slowly slips out from the wound. The katana shook, a rattling sound vibrated from the katana as Sakura held it tightly in her hands, her eyes still empty but he could see that it had gone misty.

She was fighting.

"Tch," Itachi's eyes drifted towards the man who made the sound. There was a frown on the man's face as he directed his attention at Sakura, who fought against the puppeteer's control. "I see you're still got the will to fight my mind jutsu." The red head commented, looking impressed before he shifted his attention to the Anbu lying on the ground.

"You're woman is admirable." The man said, smiling wryly, his eyes scanning Itachi's current predicament; still incapable of moving any of his limbs. "Ever since we battled, she never failed to surprise me."

Itachi glared up at him as the man dared touch Sakura, moving her hair to the side and place a kiss on her neck, mocking him.

"I injected her with poison the second time we battled, right Sakura?" He asked, whispering into the shell of ear. "and I was planning to leave her dead while the poison spread into her entire system but I couldn't do that, do I?"

"I can't let this beautiful and strong woman die," The man took hold of Sakura's pink tresses, sniffing her flowery scent that Itachi knew too well. He seethed with anger, his eyes promising death as he stared up at the man.

"I need to preserve her beauty forever," He said as he let the hair fall back in pink rivulets over Sakura's shoulder, meanwhile smirking as he told Itachi his plans. "So I have to inject her with a dose of my special preservative formula. A formaldehyde that would suit with the anaerobic bacterium, it is called the Clostridium tetani that would slow the process of the poison down by enabling the muscle to spasm and release amounts of lactic acid, and in the process, regenerate the damage tissues with the use of formaldehyde. With this, the preservation process begins."

" …and then…and then," The red head, raised his manicured hands, his eyes with a craze light on it. "I have to place a jutsu on her mind to control her every movement, and make her forget what I had infused her with. I have to use it twice on her when she found out that I have introduced the poison in her system. So I came to the cave where you were both hiding, and she had been secretly under my control ever since."

Itachi's eyes widen a fraction, his face able to move; the paralysis wearing off. The red head man noticed it, and his grin widen. "So Uchiha, can you understand why I had gone so far as to hunt her down?" Itachi tried to move his limbs, judging by the movement of his cheek muscles that the process would take longer; the paralysis would fade until it spread to the rest of his lower extremities.

"I need her for my puppet collection." Itachi pursed his lips, and glared ferociously at the man as he sidled away from Sakura, who was still holding the katana while staring vacantly at him with tears streaming down her face.

The man bent down over him, grinning. "You see, I find her equally priceless, and everything that is priceless always made me desire to take it all the more; especially when someone had made a claim to it." He stood up, his black cloak billowing. "What if I tell you that, I have tasted her lips?" Itachi's eyes bled into sharingan, whirring angrily. "She tasted like strawberries," He murmured as he cupped Sakura's face with his hands, running his index finger over her cold lips. "sweet and sour at the same time."

"I'll kill you," Itachi said hoarsely, able to speak for the first time while his eyes burned with rage. "I see you lying dead before this day end."

"Oh?" The man smirk raising a brow. "How you can possibly accomplish that while you lie there paralyzed?" Itachi gritted his jaw, looking ready to inflict pain on the man.

"You really didn't escape from me, Uchiha," The man said idly, his eyes zeroed on the wound on Itachi's neck. "The wound on your neck came from the katana that I had soaked with my special paralysis formula, though it still needs to be developed since you are slowly regaining control of your body." He observed as Itachi work his jaw, clenching and unclenching as his rage boiled inside him.

"I have injected you with the same strain as the anaerobic bacteria that I have injected in Sakura," He said as he moved to stand behind Sakura, placing his chin on top of Sakura's head while he wrapped his fingers on her pink strands. "But yours will last for short duration."

Itachi flexed his arms; his hands balling into fist until it turn white, but his legs remain frozen. The man was beginning to look bored as he stared down at him, his hand holding Sakura's shoulder.

"Too bad though that I won't allow you to use your legs." He said lazily, looking apologetic which he was not as he murmured something in Sakura's ears, his eyes never leaving Itachi.

"Stab his legs with your katana," He heard him whisper to her, his eyes gleaming sadistically. "make sure he couldn't move." The katana above his heart was withdrawn only to momentarily raise it above his legs, and then plunging it downwards; the katana clanking loudly as Sakura helplessly restrain herself; a small part of her was still fighting.

Itachi saw it coming but he neither did anything to stop it, since he was still paralyzed down as Sakura swiftly raised her katana and thrust the blade down his leg, there as a faint chink as the tip of the blade hit the ground near his feet and then the grass splattered with blood; the metal gracing him.

"Ca-Captain…." Itachi stared at the woman above him; his eyes regarding Sakura's tear streaked face as she fought with herself, he could see the recognized the familiar light shining in her eyes as she tried to keep herself at bay, her emerald orbs dark and tumultuous as she stared down at him.

"Go—go-men." and she was no more. She finally lost her will to control her weak body. Even though the katana had shook with her inner battle, she still thrust the katana over the area where nerves and veins was lesser, making it less painless for him as the katana buried into his thigh, away from the femoral veins that would be the cause of his death if he loses a lot of blood.

Another katana was thrust into his other thigh, which was handed by the puppeteer who enjoying Itachi's suffering as the paralysis faded, making his eyes glint with pain. But he successfully hid it, not giving his enemy the satisfaction that he was suffering.

"Good girl," The man praise the woman who stood beside him, watching the blood flowed from the wound, soaking the ground. "You have done well."

The red head turn towards the man impaled to the ground, his grin sickening and sadistic. "So how does it feel to have the woman you love stab you?"

Itachi did not respond; a nerve throbbing on his jaw as he tried to repressed himself from sitting up and choking the man to death. His arms were still tingling but he couldn't use it yet to his full extent; his legs were the same and he could feel the pain radiating through his flesh. He was still semi-paralyzed.

"Not talking, I see." The man said as he started to circle around him. "You might wonder how I knew that you love this woman?" The man cocked his head towards Sakura's direction as he hovered beside his head. "As what I have said before, I have placed a mind seal to control her. By using that, I can extract information from her every time I want."

"To put it simply, I can read her mind even if there is thousand miles that separated us." Sasori explained, now standing at Itachi's feet. "And can locate her wherever she goes even if you escape."

Itachi began to lift himself off the ground, and was ready to fight the man to death when he spoke again. "You see, there was really no escape for you since the beginning." The red head slammed a foot on Itachi's chest, forcing him to lie down while Itachi dug his nails on the man's shin.

The man pushed hard, bones breaking under the force of his feet. "You first thought that your woman was dying?" The man raised a red brow at him as he continues to squeeze his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. "Hardly, I only injected the formaldehyde to allow her to drift into a vegetative state, disabling her to use her six senses while my mind seal intruded her entire system, and altering her mind for me to use. The process of my mind control was a complete success after she went into unconsciousness."

Itachi's hand clenched around the man's ankle; ready to twist and break it but the red head suddenly seized his hand and crushed his carpal bones with the man's other leg. Itachi gritted his teeth when the man grinded his foot over his broken fingers. The sound of cracking making him discretely winced. The man smiled at his dilemma.

"Once she woke up, she's already under my spell. And you—," the man exerted more force on the foot planted on top of Itachi's chest; there was disgusting sound of breaking as two or three ribs crack, tearing into his lungs and other internal organs. "can no longer have her."

"Gah!!.." Itachi spat out amounts of blood; his eyes could no longer hide his pain as he focus his killing stare up at the grinning man.

"It was really a surprised to me when you confessed your love for your subordinate." The man smiled in amusement as he took off his foot, watching with great satisfaction as the blood dribbled down on Itachi's chin. "She heard you before my mind seal enfolded her. And that was how I found out."

"A pitiful confession, I might add," he said making a disgusted face. "Such show of emotion from an elite shinobi." Itachi's began to smolder as he tried to breathe, the blood seeping into his lungs and accumulated there; the spongy tissues collapsing and expanding painfully as he inhale and exhale. "It made you look far too weak, pitiful and not worth killing." Itachi's eyes flashed with rage after hearing the man's taunt.

"Look where your emotion had gotten you." He said, indicating his vulnerable state. "You're close to dying if I'm not as lax an enemy."

He slowly turns towards Sakura, who stared into space, her face drawn into a blank mask. "But I can no longer be patient with you." He gestured for Sakura, tagging an invisible string around her to make her move. "You have proven to be such a nuisance, and you need to be eliminated." He said looking naturally collected, and took a kunai from within his billowing cloak before handing it to Sakura, who took it mechanically; totally detached. "Your death would put my master to rest, but I highly doubt it."

Sakura played the kunai in her hands absently, the whirring sound a death toll to Itachi as he stared up at Sakura's empty eyes, his heart tightened with pain.

"My master will want more blood for the cause of his brother." He stated dismissively. "It will be war between our Organization and Konoha."

"You have evoked the wrath of our master," Sakura stilled, the kunai pointed towards him. "And for that, Konoha must pay while you……you will be the first to be sacrifice."

"Kill him." The simple order made Itachi's heart thump loudly in his ears, his eyes fixed on the descending kunai and the woman who was holding it.

The tip of the kunai dug into the skin above his beating heart when the puppeteer smiled, a malicious light shimmering in his brown eyes.

"On second thought," the man started, sliding a katana out from his cloak, the shrill sound of the katana being withdrawn, deafening and Itachi watched with horror as the man pointed the weapon at Sakura. "Why not delay your death and takes hers instead?!"

"NO!!!" Itachi mentally panicked, watching in slow motion as the katana aimed towards Sakura, who stood immobile with a blank expression on her pale face; the kunai still place above his heart.

He moved without realizing it, but not fast enough as he heard the metal sunk into flesh and bones, then passing Sakura's chest; right through her heart.

Sakura's eyes widen a fraction, looking seemingly surprise while Itachi froze, staring into her emerald orbs; the splat of blood on his face went unnoticed and neither was the kunai that pierce his skin, nearly coming close to his heart.

They stared; Sakura through dead eyes while Itachi through pain. His eyes screwed into a grimace as he gazed into her familiar orbs.

"After all it is more entertaining to see you suffer," The man said with great pleasure, sliding the katana through Sakura's heart a little further; every sound of a blade sinking into flesh, killing Itachi inside. "It is in fact very entertaining to see a degree of exquisite pain in your eyes," Itachi couldn't hear him as Sakura slide into him, her weight bearing down on him while he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her closer and silently mourning.

"How does it feel now that your woman is really dead?" Itachi forget that the man was even there as he stared at Sakura's sprawled form.

Nor did he feel the katana pierce his skin as he peered up at Sakura's face, which lay on top of his chest; the kunai carefully sliding on the ground with a soft clunk after Sakura finally loosen her grip.

"Pathetic," The man said with disgust, sliding the katana further, piercing through Itachi's side, where Sakura's heart was directly proportional to his punctured lungs.

"Weak," The katana stilled, the tip barely scratching or damaging his internal organs, as it was deliberately pierce his subcutaneous tissues. "as what I have expected from a leaf-ninja."

Itachi's eyes never leaving from her face; tilted towards his direction, clearly showing the curve of her strong chin and the arch of her cheek. His eyes simmering with rage and vengeance as he continue to gazed upon the woman he loved.

Something primal was coiling inside him, ready to leap and destroy everything on his way.

"Well, that's the end for her," The man said lazily, pulling out the katana without respect to Sakura's dead body, but Itachi already expected that the enemy would never show any mercy to anyone, dead or alive.

"And as for you," The said regarding Itachi as he wiped the blade with his cloak, smearing the blade with ruby before it was totally wipe clean by the black fabric. "I have extended your life." The men sheathe the katana, his gazed still on him. "But I'm afraid that your suffering is far from over."

The man remarked, his lips quirking at the corners while Itachi moved to sat up, disentangling himself from Sakura, and then gently laid her on the ground.

"I'm not allowing you to go any further," Itachi said, his voice low and dangerous, a nerve thrumming in his jaw while his lips were drawn into a severe line. "I will stop you." He said, his hands swiftly moving towards the katana on his legs.

He did not reach the katana on time as he was suddenly impaled back on the ground with another katana buried on his shoulder blade and his arm. He did not wince from the pain. He only eyed the blades with detach fascination while his gaze shifted towards the man who stood over him, surveying him with an expressionless face.

"You're losing your strength, and your incredible speed," The man commented, his face was masked as was Itachi's. "It is best for you to just give up." Itachi merely stared in response to his order, and was about to make a move when his heart made an unusual thump against his chest.

His eyes slightly gleam with surprise while the man began chuckling malevolently. "You should have heeded my advice and lie still," The man bent down, his shadow towering over him with the sun glaring over the man's shoulder.

"If you won't," the man thrust the blade deeply into his flesh, sinking into the ground. "My poison will force you to." The man chuckled again while Itachi could feel his veins constricted, his muscles began to spasm, producing huge amounts of lactic acid.

"You'll not be able to move in a matter of five seconds." Itachi flexed his muscles, which suddenly radiated with pain as he did so; his body was turning powerless again. "One..two.."the man counted mockingly, then harshly pulling Sakura's hair, revealing her face to him. "..three….Oops! I miscalculated." The man dragged Sakura's head closer to Itachi's. "Gomen Captain," The man mimicked Sakura's voice to perfection while moving Sakura's jaw and head as if she was the one talking, making Itachi blink and mentally shook with anger.

"I forgot that it was three not five seconds." The man laughed at his charade; a laughed that made Itachi wanted to curl his hands around the man's throat and squeezed but his body wouldn't move. "Look at yourself now, Uchiha." The man turned serious as he regarded him, his filthy hands still holding Sakura's face. "You're hopeless," the man took hold of Sakura's hair once again while Itachi inwardly seethe, the man raised Sakura's head higher, dead eyes staring down at him. "There's no one to help you."

Itachi couldn't stand the sight of her being treated like that even in death, yet he has no other choice but face this torment while silently grieving inside.

There was an ominous snap and Itachi couldn't tear his eyes off from Sakura as the man intentionally broke her neck, "Oh my bad," the man said looking like he was guilty for snapping Sakura's neck in two; an odd lump protruding from the part while Sakura's head tilted to one side with the most an unusual angle. Itachi nearly wanted to go on a rampage and kill the man. His eyes were blazing like an inferno when the man snapped Sakura's neck to the other side, internal cracks emitting from the neck as the man played with Sakura; twisting this way and that, trying to extend Sakura's neck until the bones tore the flesh on her neck, blood pouring out from holes.

"Well that's too bad," the man said; a disappointed frown tingeing his angelic face, which Itachi realized was a perfect facade to hide the man's psychotic mind. "I was just beginning to enjoy it." The psychopath dislodge a bone from Sakura's neck, a c-shape bone with sharp ridges on the edge, it was one of Sakura's trachea which was formerly been connected, now totally disconnected. There was a sticky pop as the bone slide out from the flesh, blood immediately spilling out from the hole.

"Hearing her bones break was music to my ear." Itachi's eyes were blank, trying to detach himself from the scene; completely ignoring the fact that the red head was stripping the last remains of what Sakura had left for him. Her 'I love you' and the beautiful thoughts of her were erased, replaced with the image of her bloody form, and her dying in his arms, then finally this. The horrid details were already garnered into his mind, but it was not the end yet; his nightmares were only beginning.

"Oh well," the man said, taking back his katana from his cloak, the wind whipping his red hair, his eyes shining with menace and lunacy. "All I have to do is remedy it then."

"Why not take off the whole thing instead?" the man asked before swinging his katana, the sound of metal sinking into flesh and broken bones echoed hollowly in Itachi's ears.

Blood stained the grassy area and all over Itachi, there was a distant sound of something falling along with a rustling sound as the thing rolled over the grass, smearing the greenery with red droplets. Itachi was frozen with shocked and despair.

"There's nothing that could pleasure me more, than creating another puppet for my collection," the man said, grinning as he scoop Sakura's headless body in his arms and began dancing with her, meanwhile watching for Itachi's reaction as he did so.

Shock was written on Itachi's eyes as he stared at the head lying near his hand, Sakura's face was smeared with blood and the bones of her trachea trailing behind her.

"So," the man said as he paused, holding Sakura's body in his arms, blood pouring from it's severed part. "Don't we make a lively couple?" he asked cruelly, swaying Sakura as if dancing to a waltz.

"Kami!" Itachi thought, his eyes tearing from Sakura's head towards her headless body; something was lodge on his throat as he stared. "Sakura!" His muscles were frozen as he tried to overcome the paralysis. He was ready to tear the man to shreds and burn his parts into crisp, then feeding it to the wild animals, but his action was futile when he realized that the poison was potent; extinguishing his chance from escaping that nightmare and save what was remain of Sakura's dead body.

"Give up, Uchiha." The man said as he noticed Itachi's inner struggles, he had stopped moving and dump Sakura's body like a heap of useless baggage. "The poison on those blades are immerse in 12 doses of my specialty. You can't escape from its deadly grasp if you tried to," the man sauntered towards him, grabbing Sakura's arm and started to drag her body along with him, "No matter what you do. The poison will still remain in your system." The man threw Sakura's body over him, instantly showering with blood as it poured down on him like torrents of red water.

Itachi fixed a stoic stare at the headless body, feeling the flow of blood as it slowly soaked his shirt and body.

"And your greater chance of surviving will be shorten," the man said, scanning Sakura's body which was sprawled over Itachi. "This is the second time that your lover's blood has been introduced to your wounds," the man grabbed Sakura's shoulder and pulled her up and then running his katana to cut her arm, Itachi could only watched with complete detachment as the red head successfully took off the part, and gazed with cold look as the man spattered his face with blood from the arm. He was losing a small part of his soul and the whole part of his heart.

He did not want to watch this torture any longer.

"You have approximately one day to live before you die," Sakura's blood that was induced with poison mingled with his, entering through his wounds and invading his vital organs. His chest expansion barely noticeable as his breath becomes lesser and lesser; the pain in his wounds a dull throb while his mind and heart was crying with bloody tears.

His eyes were vacant as the man continues to shower him with Sakura's blood. He did not know which his blood was and which Sakura's was as the two combine inseparably. The flow of life merging into one, one was alive and was dead.

The man butchered Sakura's body, letting her blood, run dry until he couldn't squeeze anything from her while Itachi through this with a guarded look on his face; remaining expressionless as his mind drifted away from his body, totally put off from the events.

He could not stand the smell of her blood or the feel of the liquid that slide down his skin. He didn't want any part of it. He had enough. He didn't want to be a part of that suffering.

It was squeezing the life out of him as he watched the man took out a scroll, having splayed the body parts all over him, soaking him with her blood. After that, it was all foggy to Itachi; he could see the man moving and then divesting the body with its internal organs, sticking his hands inside the torso and pulling out.

The intestines pooled out, and then the stomach, followed by the liver and lungs. The organs already torn as it comes out from the body, handled by the red head without reservation as he harvested the organs.

Itachi was semi-unconscious while his temperature increases and his breathing accelerated; the punctured lungs and broken ribs a pain as his chest tried to provide proper ventilation to his poorly oxygenated lungs. His eyes were half closed when he watched the man towered above him, his form cutting an impressive and deadly outline over him. The severed head, arms and legs were securely and within the safety of the scroll; when the man finally decided to leave with his most seek after possession having been captured.

"See, Uchiha?" the man began, a serious note on his voice. "You don't see me dying as what you have seen in your eyes." The man dumped the entrails all over him, the intestines sliding down on Itachi's chest. "You don't see me lying dead by the end of this day." He bent down, his face looking down on him, pulling something out from within his cloak. "But you on the other hand, will be." Itachi couldn't prevent the man from sticking something inside his mouth; it was ruby and the size of a fist with veins lining the surface when it was suddenly stuff down his throat.

Itachi gagged, his teeth sinking into the smooth tissue and he tasted blood. A part of it slide down his throat and he unconsciously swallowed, trying to lessen the volume of the object, which would choke if he didn't.

He heard a low chuckle through his hazy senses, which he didn't took heed as his senses was slowly dulling; the metallic taste of blood on his tongue faded away, the feel of liquid trickling down his chin a distant memory as he hurriedly chewed the object that prevented him to breath; his lungs was badly impaired so he couldn't breath his nose since it could only breathe less oxygen than from his mouth, while he was consuming the tasteless stuff, he breathe through his nose with great difficulty until the thing that had been in his mouth was totally consume.

"Have you any idea what you just ate?" the man asked suddenly as Itachi sucked a lung full of breath, his ventilation completely restored to him. "Let me enlighten you then," he leaned over and whispered it in his ear, a sadistic smile gracing his lips while Itachi turn white like sheet of paper. "It was poison," the man swiftly stood up, brushing off an imaginary dust off his cloak. "By dusk tomorrow, you will perish." The man turned his back and spoke behind him, "You should be glad that I didn't chose you as my puppet."

He began to walked away while Itachi's eyes fluttered shut, his mind buzzing while the man's voice turn into a deep rumble from the distance that of a crumbling rock as an earth quake reverberated. "Be at peace that you took the heart of the woman you love when you failed to take it when she was alive. Look at it as her legacy to you."

The man laughed before he disappeared in a gust of wind, his cruel laugh curried by the floating with and echoed around the area; lost to Itachi, who fell into a poisonous sleep.

"_Sakura," _He thought as he shut off the world, the sound of crashing waves meeting him when he became part of his whirlpool nightmare; the events winding again and again into his mind in an endless state of torment and heartache. _"Gomenasai." _

He drifted from unconsciousness, not noticing how the sun had dipped from the horizon while the moon replaced its position. He was barely conscious when he felt something tagged at his leg, and he couldn't even comprehend what was happening around him when the night faded away. By next day, he was sporting a bite on his side and his arm was already gone as well half of his leg, the night creatures having fed on him. The organs that had been splayed all over him were desert to the forest creatures while he was the first course.

The pain was a phantom throb as his mind was attacked by a series of bloody images, not even noticing as yet another mammal stumbled upon his form. He did not feel anything as the wild boar sniff his severed leg and began to graze its mighty fangs on his flesh. Birds of prey began to circle around him while ants and worms crawled around him, eating what they can get from his open wounds.

The wild boar was snorting and stumping its small hooves when a black bird swoop down and pecked at its ear. The boar bobbed its head as the birds continue to swoop down and pecked the boar.

Itachi hardly noticed the animals that flocked around him, ready to devour him entirely. His eyes were closed when he distinctly smell the faint scent of a very familiar aroma. He carefully opens his eyes, the glare of the sun instantly burning his eyeballs. He blinks twice, his alertness having been dulled and his swiftness decline to seriously critical state that he was becoming delusional.

Sakura was smiling down on him, her luminous orbs shining like brilliant emeralds as she met his gaze. "Captain," she said softly, brushing his sleek bangs that were crested with blood, gliding her hands through his strands while Itachi tried to focus on her. "there's nothing to worry about," she said soothingly, trying to bring some sense into his broken soul. "I'm fine."

"Don't lose hope." she said as she caressed his face, her features peaceful but Itachi could see that the sadness there as she looked down on him. "Don't give up so easily, Captain." She stopped stroking his face and stare at him, her eyes becoming misty as she gave him a melancholy smile.

"I'll be waiting for you," she whispered, her figure fading as she leaned down. "We will see each other soon," She said gently placing a kiss on his lips.

"Itachi."

He woke up with a start, his eyes meeting the soft light of the afternoon glow as his blurry eyes wildly scan the area for the pink haired woman. His hopes came crushing down as reality settled in, choking his heart into a tight hold. As he was moving his head, he felt something slide down his cheek, his hand free hand reaching out for it and weakly raised his hand to survey the liquid. It was not blood as he had grimly expected but water.

It was a single tear.

"_Sakura," _Itachi though staring at the single drop of tear, and let his hands fall to side as he screwed his eyes closed, his face contorted in pain. He did not hear the faint sound of distance footsteps or the sound of someone calling his name as he finally grieved; letting tears gather at his eyes but not allowing it to fall, his throat constricted as he clenched his jaw. "Sakura." The magnitude of his despair was nothing compared when he was still paralyzed, where he wish he was when he couldn't feel the pain and suffering.

The katanas that impaled his legs, shoulder and his one arm was taken away. His wound stinging as the blades was slowly slide out.

"Itachi!!" someone was shouting at name, a hand wrapping around him as they tried to sit him up. "Itachi!" He slowly open his eyes a peered up at him through his hooded eyes, unshed tears hanging from within his long lashes as he stared at the man who was shaking him. "What happen? Who did this to you?!" Itachi only gave a stoic look in response as well as the pain that he couldn't hide from his eyes.

"Itachi, tell me what happen?" Itachi closed his eyes, and answered him as an ache that was far from physical rushed towards him with full force, recalling the events that lead them there.

"We were attacked by rouge-nin's from a secret organization called, Akatasuki," Itachi replied hoarsely as he felt something warm and foreign intruded his veins, his eyes flew open to stare at the blonde woman healing his wounds. He knew that the attempt would be wasted on him. "No," he ordered to the woman trying to stop her, no one could heal him now. His chakra points were badly burned due to his overused of it and by the poison which disabled him to use his chakra. By injecting a foreign chakra into him, he was sure that the medic would suffer great repercussions if she did it.

The poison might be transmitted to her if she continued to heal him; he was not going to handle another death in his hands.

"I've been poison," Itachi explained as the medic gave him a surprise look. "It might be transmitted to you and I can't take that chance."

"But---" the man holding him protested, clearly against his idea.

"No," Itachi said firmly, trying to look strong as he keeps on talking, which was taking a toll on his weak state. "I've seen enough death for the couple of days, and I can't stand the scent of it again."

"You're being irrational, Itachi."

"I might be, but I'm doing this for your medic's sake," Itachi replied, his blurry eyes staring at the woman. "I can't afford to lose yet another medic as I lose mine," Both the other Anbu froze at his revelation.

"What do you mean, Uchiha-san?" the Anbu woman was the first one to asked while the other Anbu had stilled, "What do you mean by losing your other medic?…"

Itachi was silent as he waited for them to understand without revealing the entire truth to them.

"You can't mean that---that—" the woman stumbled, trying to search for words that better describe what was on her mind, slumping down in shocked as she realized it.

"She's dead?" the other Anbu, supposedly to be a man and obviously close to Itachi, asked in a monotone but expectant voice. Itachi could only nod his head in silent answer.

"How?" the man asked as the woman placed a hand over her mask. Itachi could hear sniffling from behind as the woman mourned. This was also painful for Itachi, but telling them the truth was unavoidable.

"She was poisoned the same as I am," Itachi responded, the tears that had gathered in his eyes seeming to be like it had only been an illusion. "I was taking her back to Konoha when we were attack," thinking back, he felt like a total fool for not immediately running off towards Konoha than letting her see the sunrise.

She would be alive by now if he hadn't listened to her request. But regretting it would also lead him to regret to the significant words that came from her lips.

"_**I love you," **_

Yes, it was painful.

"She was killed by Sasori of the sands, who was the high suspect for the murder of an old woman; his grandmother."

"Where's Sakura's body now?"

Itachi did not look at him when he answered, his eyes desolate. "Her body was taken." Not saying any else, wanting to quashed the horrifying his images the surface into his mind when he recalled. He blotted it away.

"Where?"

But Itachi couldn't say anything more as he coughed out his blood, his position constricting the movement of his diaphragm and the blood that accumulated in his lungs began to surged outwards along with the acid that came out from his stomach. He spilled the contents beside him as the man holding him, hastily got out of the way.

The contents of his stomach lay in disgusting heap beside him while Itachi's head began to throb with pain, feeling a slight dizziness.

"Let's take you back to Konoha," Itachi was suddenly lifted off the ground, an arm wrapped around his waist while his arm was placed over the man's shoulder. "The Hokage might do something to elevate your condition."

"Ie," Itachi murmured while the man carrying him suddenly stopped, the woman who was still crying becomes silent. "No, she couldn't save me."

"Why did you day that? Is the poison of high level that she couldn't flog it from your system?"

"Ie, but I know that I wouldn't last for long." The Anbu tried to make a sound of protest but Itachi cut him. "I lost someone today, who I failed to bring back to Konoha on time."

"I would have saved her if it hadn't been for my foolishness," Itachi directed a half closed stare at the man who was carrying. "Do you not blame me for her death?" Itachi asked as he continues to torment himself with Sakura's death. "I blame myself for all the things that had been done to her, alive and in death."

"I blame myself for requesting her to be assign in my team," Itachi's eyes became clouded with despair. "I blame myself for being alive while she's dead."

"Can you not see that I could not let myself be cured? I accept death more then I accept the thought of living the years of forgetting her and blaming myself for losing her." both the Anbu's were silent, and surprised at Itachi's show of emotion. Yet he could not blame him for seeing so much pain and under that state. His complicated mind would surely crumple into tiny shards of pieces that they could hardly figure out what was his true character.

"Can you understand that?"

"Hai," the Anbu responded quietly, the simple word spoke with a profound depth. "I understand."

"Then will you accept my last request?" Itachi watched as the Anbu hesitated, knowing full well that his request was not a good one.

"Hai,"

Itachi gave a small smile, "Put me back down." The Anbu look surprise and did what he was told, and then asking after he had Itachi settled on ground. "That is all?"

"Ie," the Anub became wary and a little bit uneasy. "I want you to do this for me,"

"What is it?" the Anbu asked, while the Anbu woman behind him had become silent and attentive towards their conversation.

"I want you to avenge Sakura's death," Itachi said seriously, holding the onyx orbs behind the wolf Anbu mask.

"I will," the Anbu swore, nodding his head, his shoulder length hair sliding against the side of his mask as he moved. "I will look for this man."

"But first you must do something for me," suddenly the Anbu became still as Itachi's eyes loses its light, having successful hid his ordeal well.

"You must kill me."

* * *

The cries of pain died down as the man enfolded with the black flames disappeared into burning cinders, carrying the nightmares along with him after the Mangekyou was enforce into his mind. The torment had been endless to him, but to the Anbu who was clutching his eyes as if burned, was something to be rejoiced after fulfilling his mission.

"_Finally,"_ the Anbu thought as he gingerly stood up, slightly swaying on his feet as he felt disoriented. _"its over."_ blood streaming down his eyes along with the rain as well as his secret tears as he wiped it away with gloved hands.

"_Over."_

"Captain," the Anbu jerked his head towards the woman who stood waiting for him, and stared. "Let me heal you." The woman requested and the Anbu Captain could no longer deny her his medical aid.

He moved towards her, his onyx orbs remain blank. He stopped in front of her and waited for her to make a move. The Anbu woman hesitated and then reached towards him, her hands touching his face which was drenched with rain, blood and tears.

The strong gust of wind whipping against them; the torrent of rain moving in the other direction while the Anbu fixed his stare towards the familiar figures standing under the shade of tree. He did not noticed the hand running down the wound on his arms or the feel of warmth seeped through his bones as a healing chakra was injected into his veins.

His eyes focused on the form watching him.

"_Sakura," _He thought as he looked at the ghost silhouetted of the pink haired woman grinning at him with a hand holding the man's arm, who stood beside her. _"Itachi,"_ the raven haired man eyes softening into a soft smile as he regarded him.

"You did well, Sasuke." The voice of his brother dissipated towards him faintly like a brush of wind, "You did your best to defeat Sasori."

"Thank you," Sakura said softly, smiling tranquilly at Sasuke while Itachi turn his attention beside the woman standing beside him, his eyes shining with warmth. "You have finally put our souls to rest, and for that I can't thank you more than I am now." She glance at Itachi and gave him a smile, sliding her hand to wrap around his large hand.

"We will see you, Sasuke." Sakura said, looking back at him. "But I hope it will not be soon." She smiled for the last time at him and waited for Itachi to do the same.

"Sayonara, outoto." Itachi said, intently staring at him, then turn away as Sakura tagged his hand, "I will be watching you grow stronger."

"Ja ne, Sasuke-kun!" and with that they disappeared from his sight like a wisp of his imagination, making him blink thrice to stare at the tree where he had last seen his older brother and his team mate.

"Captain," Sasuke whipped his head towards Ino, who was done healing him. "Are you alright? You just kinda doze off there."

Sasuke stared at her for a moment before calmly responding. "I'm fine."

The Yamanaka gave a smile and gazed up at him with the familiar emotion lightening her eyes.

"Good," She said, flipping her golden hair, swiping Sasuke with it while he scowled. "We've got many loads of enemy to defeat. I don't want my Captain brooding around."

"You forget your place, Yamanaka." Sasuke said as he glared at her back, "I'm your Captain remember that."

Sasuke heard her sigh, but he ignore it when his eyes landed on Sakura's body, gently laid on the ground; her pink tresses hugging her face as the rain pounded over them. She looked like she was sleeping.

Ino was also looking at her, her azure eyes slanted with despair. "We should held a proper burial for her,"

"Hai," Sasuke agreed. "but after this war is over."

Ino looked at him, her eyes wise beyond her years.

"I understand, Captain."

The flapping of black wings went unnoticed as the bird took flight, flying towards the gray sky as the rain slowed down to stopped. In its beak was a pink flower, looking unusual but beautiful.

* * *

**THE END**

**FINALLY!!!**

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**Then runs and hide. **


	6. Answers and Total Randomness

THIS HASN'T BEEN EDITED. SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THE GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES.

**Thanks for the reviews: **skyblueocean, knightchaser, Rhonda21, rambutan, Melodi Moon, trsofnaruto, AmaneUchiha, Redhellion, mypleasureableaddiction394, emo-kid, XDmomopoppyXD, Amorfecent, Yui-chan453, ero-neechan, equivocablyregretful, shaude, AnOther-bEIng and to the anonymous person who reviewed.

**Ero-jiji:** I lust you all!!! If you have more question to ask me, feel free to have a private moment with me. PM!!! AND review!!! I will send you french kisses, and I meant the Hershey kisses that are manufactured from France, what else do you think?

Yeah, I am total and complete perv. Chi-kosai has been deported to another country and I will be her replacement for the moment until someone steps over again.

If you're wondering why I became ero-jiji? You will soon find out as you move on this chapter. So keep your eyes open, you won't like to miss anything what I prepared for you.

See later alligator!

* * *

**ANSWERS**

**Questions: **

**Why Sakura was still alive? If you're still confused about the explanation earlier, then I hope this will help you understand without the use with so much medical terminologies. **

--Sakura had been poison when she came across Sasori while she was looking for her Captain. In that time, Sasori still intended to just let her suffer for a couple of days with poison. He had also placed a mind seal on Sakura; the reason she forget what events that lead to her current state, lying on the ground with an unfamiliar territory. Let's just say that the mind seal was starting to alter Sakura's mind, which Sasori failed to accomplish since Sakura remembered. That was the first day when the poison was injected in Sakura's system, so she still could fight the mind seal control and thus she recalled the events that took place of why she was there. It was also gave her

When Sasori realized that his mind control had failed as he tried to extract information from her. He went to seek her out; his strong desire to make her a puppet became powerful. So he decided to preserve her. His plan for killing Itachi was nothing compared to making her one of his collection. So with that intention in mind, he went and followed her chakra signature that pointed out to her location.

After elimination Itachi's clone, he entered the cave and descended on her sleeping form. After having a taste with her, and no she was not raped, Sasori went and did what he came to do. He injected his special formaldehyde into her veins without actually killing her, but preserving her body. The progress of the poison was slowed to its presence, and used another mind seal, to control her mind. This time it worked due to Sakura's vulnerable state to fight against it. Sasori had bled her, allowing the contents of the poison to decrease in her system.

Once that was done, he left.

By the time Itachi came, Sakura was under the control of Sasori, but only extracting small information since Sakura keep on lulling into sleep, difficult for him to gain current information while Sakura lost her awareness.

After Itachi discovered that Sakrua was poisoned, they left while Sasori followed. Planning to use Sakura to kill her Captain and her team mate, but he could do that since the mind seal was still slowly altering Sakura's mind while she keeps on sleeping. Sasori needs to have complete control of her body, to lessen the chance of her fighting against his control and his plans being discovered.

So he bided his time until the mind seal took hold of Sakura's body. When Itachi thought that she was dying because of the poison, which was hardly since Sakura got more than three days to live after the formaldehyde eliminated some of the poison on her system, merging along with it until it became formalin.

By the time Sakura's vision disappeared while Itachi thought that she was dying, it was in fact that the mind control was just reaching its optimum potential, and had let Sakura's mind went blank before rebooting again once Sasori gave the command.

So that was why Sakura's heart was still beating faintly, which lead Itachi to have a hope to save her but Sasori unfortunately caught on to them.

**Why in the world Sasuke was there?**

Well, Sasuke just returning from a mission with his team mate and subordinate, Yamanaka Ino. His other team mate had been dismissed after she had tried to grope him. Guess who it was? A red head slut with spectacles, do you know who? If you do, then you might question my why in hell was she a Konoha kunoichi? Well, this here's the explanation. Have you heard of an AU fic?

So yeah, Sasuke accidentally stumbled on his brother's mangled form, after sensing it a mile a radius away with his improve sharingan. No, he hadn't gain his Mangekyou yet, I only mean that after training hours after hours for how many years, Sasuke had mastered his sharingan. And you might ask why did I make Ino his team mate? Well I really don't know.

That is one of many things that I can't answer you without using my inane reasons.

**How Itachi was poison?**

**No. 1: **Sasori's katana is soaked with poison so he can hardly miss that one. The weapon that scratched his neck was not poison, but an experimental paralysis formula that Sasori was developing. The kunai that made a wound on top of Itachi's heart, which Sakura use, it contains poison as well as the katana that went through Sakura and tearing into Itachi's side. As blood trickled down from Sakura's wound and into Itachi's wound, Sakura's blood was induced with poison and the preserving agent that Sasori used, so it had intentionally poison Itachi, serving as a fuel to an already blazing fire.

**No. 2:** The katana's that Sasori had impaled in Itachi's shoulder and his arm, it was only poisoned. The same poison that was given to Sakura, which first made the bearer to lie paralyzed with constant muscled spasm and the production of lactic acid. That was why both Sakura and Itachi could not move when this poison was introduced to them.

**No. 3: **Since you already know that Sakura's blood contain poison, so after Sasori butchered Sakura's limbs and showered Itachi with blood. We can see that the poison might have entered in Itachi's wounds, and increasing the concentration of poison in his body.

**No. 4: **Itachi ate Sakura's heart when it had impeded him to breathe through his ruptured ungs, it was better to breathe from his mouth than his nose since he could only inhale small quantity of oxygen in his lungs, which was already squashed and bleeding badly after Sasori grind his foot on his chest, breaking bones and wounding Itachi's lungs.

So Itachi consume the organ without realizing what he was doing since the poison was making him weak and drowsy, and the first thing that came into his mind was to provide proper ventilation for his ruptured lungs. The heart also contains since it is the main chamber for the circulation of blood, so we can understand that Itachi's state had just worsen.

**What happen to, Shisui? Is he dead or alive? **

To answer your question, he's dead but not because he was left in that forest.

The full version which I didn't mention in the story is that, Shisui was taken back to Konoha when Itachi told Sasuke to what happen to Shisui. When Itachi had requested for Sasuke to kill him, Sasuke was strongly against it and had back out from his word of fulfilling Itachi's least request.

But when Itachi told him that he has short time to live and convince him that the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan was the only way that could feet Sasori and the Akatasui Organization that Itachi told Sasuke. He had told that, war was going to break between the two sides and Konoha would be in danger if there wasn't anyone to report the possible threat to the Hokage. Itachi had also convince Sasuke to take his life to save their Village, but before Sasuke could kill Itachi.

Itachi had told Sasuke and Ino to go back and get his cousin, Shisui, who was protected by the genjutsu that Itachi cast.

Sasuke killed his brother and gain the Mangekyou Sharingan, and then ordered Ino to return Itachi's body to Konoha while Sasuke came after Shisui.

Shisui was almost to the brink of dead with his burns having been infected. He was submitted to the hospital, and the Hokage work hours on him. The burns were badly infected and the gangrene was slowly spreading. So the Hokage took preventive measures and amputated area, ending Shisui's life as a shinobi.

After that Shisui was placed in a therapy since he was depressed for the death of his team mates, blaming himself for being useless. And the thought of being incapacitated for the rest of life made him sink deeper into depression until he couldn't take it anymore and plan to commit suicide.

His left arm and leg was gone, and he had a hard time escaping from the hospital undetected as he limp with his crutches towards the place where Itachi and him had often hang out; Nakano river.

He was about to throw himself on the river when he hesitated, the thought of dying alone does not suit to him very well, and drowning himself just because he had lost his team mates and his life as a shinobi, doesn't mean that it was the end of the world. Itachi and Sakura would have wanted to live, and be happy even though it was very painful for him to do so. And suicide was a coward way of saying that you've just given up your life.

With that in mind, Shisui was ready to go back to the hospital, which he suspected was into upheaval after the nurses find out that he was missing.

He slowly pivoted around with his crutches, and took a step forward. He hadn't expected to have his crutches drive through a whole in the walk way, nor was expecting to find himself tipped sideways after trying to pull out his crutches from the hole.

There was a loud splash as Shisui dive into the cold water, the currents of water pulling him in while he flopped his one arm and leg. He knew that it was hopeless since no one could possibly survive from the strong current of water as it pulled him down to the dark and icy depths of the river.

Bubbles coming out from his mouth as he was dragged deeper and deeper into the bottom of the river while his crutches remain stuck on the hole; without its user.

Shisui's dead body was found later floating in the Nakano River, still wearing a hospital gown. Shisui's family and some other's from the Uchiha mourn of his death, thinking that he committed suicide than a mere freak accident.

His name was blackened by the whispers as they related the tales of the curse Team 3.

It's Captain and his two subordinates dead.

**Did you know's? **

Did you know that Sasori was not a puppet in this story? Well, apparently he isn't. He's approximately 25-35 years old, but still retains his astounding features.

Did you know the scene where an Anbu was standing over the cenotaph and another Anbu woman decided to join him, was supposed to be Shisui and his team mate Hana? Which would have been if I wrote a different ending version to this story. I've got three actually, where Itachi was the Anbu and the Anbu woman was some random woman who replaced Shisui since Sakura was not originally Shisui's team mate, Inuzuka Hana was. And for a happily-ever-after, Itachi and Sakura which would mean that Shisui was the one who died. While the last one would be is, the Anbu Captain was Shisui while the woman was Sakura, after Itachi sacrificed himself and allowed Sasori to take his head in exchange for the life of team mates. Itachi did not trust the enemy, so he had protected Sakura with yet another genjutsu barrier, the same one that he made with Shisui. In this version Sasori was not planning to set and make a puppet of Sakura, but instead giving Itachi's head to Akatsuki's shadowy master. Sakura survived since Sasuke found her and immediately took her to Konoha, it was a head earlier before Sakura's unavoidable demise, that's why Sakura surived, and then married Sasuke the following years when they became close after Itachi's death. (Insert evil laugh).

Actually, there are many endings to this story that played in my mind that is why I'm in constant trifle for changing every line of thought once in a while. So pardon me. If you want me to write the other version that you like I would gladly do so. But not right now since I'll be updating my other stories.

Did you know that the name on the cenotaph was only of Sakura's? Dead shinobis who are placed in the cenotaph were of those people, whose body were not retrieved from war or gone missing. Itachi's body was placed along with the heroes of Konoha, where there is a huge fire monument located at the center of the cemetery, representing their will of fire. If you have seen the anime Naruto Shippuuden where Asuma visited his father before going out and fight the Immortal Akatasuki's, you know what I mean by the fire monument. Shisui's body was also placed in that area, even though everyone thought of him to have died of suicide. He was placed t here because of his line of duty to Konoha, it was his many accomplishments as a qualified shinobi that secured himself a place there after his death.

Did you know that Sasuke was already an Anbu before Sakura become one? Sasuke and Naruto both took the Anbu exams first since Sakura thought that being a medic was her calling. (and how right she was, dead on her first mission as a Anbu.) But once Sasuke and Naruto became Anbu, she was jealous of them and had given up her role as a medical nurse to train for the next Anbu exams. Sadly, she was only labeled as exceptional compared to Sasuke's and Naruto's outstanding mark.

Did you know that Naruto was under Hinata's Anbu team? How did that happen, well it was because of Sakura's influence over the shy Hyuuga that made the once stammering girl into a capable and deadly shinobi. Hyuuga Hinata was even the first to have been indicted in the Anbu Ops from their age group. In the sidelines, Naruto was falling deeply in love with the Hyuuga while Hinata played hard to get as Naruto began courting her.

So that's about it. I hope you enjoy my explanation and this extra special sequel. This is not the part of the plotline, I only made me this on a whim.

AND I ALSO HOPE THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE A REVIEW. I WORK EXTRA HARD ON WRITING THIS CHAPTER. MY HANDS ARE ALREADY ACHING AND MY MOTHER KEEP ON TELLING TO ME SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER. SO IT WON'T BE LATER UNTIL I CAN WRITE AGAIN. I NEED TO RELAX MY HANDS.

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**RAVEN**

**ITACHI/SAKURA**

**RATED M**

**EXTRA CHAPTER**

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**Warning: Lime? WTF!!!!!**

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**PURGATORY**

"Welcome back you two," the man said as he greeted the two people who entered the white washed room, illuminated with a warm light coming from almost every where. "How's the visit to the place of the living?"

"Konoha is still on war with Akatsuki," Itachi responded grimly as he glided inside, the pink haired woman at his side. "Our side is winning, but there were too may casualties."

Shisui sighed at the news. "When would this end, I wonder?" he inquired to himself, looking desolate.

"Never," Itachi responded, gazing at outside the window which was streaming with blinding light with Sakura standing next to him. "Humanity had brought this suffering to themselves, and this will not stop until they disappear from existence; extinct."

Silence descended on the room as the figures retreated and ended their conversation, doing their usual business of repenting.

Purgatory was almost close to what they believe the heaven. They only find silence and open space for them to find some time to dwell over their past sins and absolve and cleanse the darkness that tainted their souls.

"Did you know Itachi, that there's another world out there, the same as our world in the living?" Sakura mumbled to the man standing beside her, her hands placed on top of what you call to be a windowsill.

"No," Itachi looked at her; his eyes glittering with curiosity while Shisui became interested.

Sakura smiled, "You will be surprise that there are the same people as you, me, and Shisui in that world," Itachi raised a brow.

"You might even be surprised that we have the same characteristics, but with different role to play." Sakura further explained as she pushed herself from the windowsill, ready to wander around aimlessly, looking for something that would capture her interest in that plain and dull world. Itachi followed her with Shisui not from behind them.

"How can you know this?" Itachi asked with a low tone. "Have you gone there?"

"No," Sakura replied, shaking her head, and then turning her head to side as Itachi took the place beside her. "But I believe that place exist." she gazed up at him and asked. "Do you believe in that stuff, Itachi?"

"No," He answered blandly, his face a familiar mask. "I don't believe in such nonsense."

Sakura just shake her head in hopelessness, and continued. "If you were given a chance to live, would you take it?"

Itachi considered the question for a moment, regarding her. "Yes,"

"_Not unless you are there," _He added silently while Sakura could read him like a book, when his eyes turn soft as he looked at her.

Sakura smiled lovingly at him while she heard a snort coming from behind them, it was obviously Shisui.

"But what if we are both in the wrong sides? Would you still take that chance?" Sakura asked, leaning forward and tiptoeing. Shisui made a disgusted sound inside his throat followed by hurried footsteps as he left them.

"Yes," Itachi responded without hesitation, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder, and then gliding it towards her hair, where he skimmed his hands through her lustrous tresses.

"I'll see you two lovebirds later then," Shisui called over his shoulder, waving his hand dismissively. "after you're done with your 'business' ."

Sakura and Itachi both ignored him as they lean towards each other. There was no one there to see their show of affection towards each other.

"What if I'm your enemy?" Sakura whispered softly, her eyes glued to his lips. "Would you still exist for me?"

"Yes," Itachi mumbled, closing the distance between them and wrapping a hand around her, drawing her petite form to his.

"But what if—"

"Sakura," Itachi cut in smoothly, his eyes burning into her malachite orbs. "I will live and die for you. Wherever or whatever is our role in that world, I will live just as long as you're alive."

"Itachi," Sakura said achingly, and wrapped her arms around him, drawing his lips closer to hers for a kiss.

"Once we are able to leave this place and go to heaven," Sakura in between kisses, softly brushing her lips against Itachi's who was gently teasing her with his sensual lips. "I will find a way for us to have another—hmmm,"

"Quite," Itachi murmured as he pressed his lips to silent her when she tried to speak. He lifted her off the ground and began carrying her back to the place of the white room. Thankfully, Shisui was off to visit Inuzuka who was hanging out with her dead relatives.

"How can we go ascend to heaven if we keep on doing this," Sakura asked in shaking voice after Itachi deposited her into the white feathery bed, which they share. Itachi was removing their white robes in a hurry, and then hovered over Sakura like a handsome conqueror with his entire naked splendor.

"This is sinful---" She arched her back, a moan escaping from her lips as Itachi run his tongue over the sensitive skin just behind her ear. "Ahh…"

Her eyes became dark with lust, one of the cardinal sins that they have to absolve. But their love for each other was greater than carnal pleasure. They were safe from being kicked from purgatory and into the pits of hell.

The muscles on Itachi's sculpted stomach rippled against her much smoother one, she could feel something hard brushing against her thighs.

"Do you think this is sinful now?" Itachi whispered into her ear, his breath brushing the shell of her ear making her shiver with pleasure. He smirked and delved his tongue inside her ear while Sakura grabbed Itachi's broad shoulder.

Sakura whimpered as Itachi played with the shell of his ear, she could feel his hot hands sliding down her body to cup her breast.

She shuddered, a sigh escaping from her parted lips and Itachi kissed her, gently at first then passionately as he flick a thumb over her rosy peak, then using his other hand to lift her bottom and grind his hips against hers.

A groan tore from inside Sakura's mouth, her tongue dueling with Itachi's while she tagged his head closer to her devouring lips. Juices began to pooled between her thighs and her inside was coiled almost painfully as they continued with their foreplay.

She wrapped her legs around his lean waist as Itachi rain kissed all over her neck, drifting downwards to kiss the swell of her breast before taking her pebbled nipple inside his beautiful mouth.

Sakaura arched her back, a strangled cry tearing from her swollen lips as Itachi began to lave and nipped her bud. She clutched his raven locks, her head tilted upwards with her lips slightly parted, her breathing harsh.

"But does this action, prevented us from ascending to heaven as fast as most?" Sakura asked through her passion-filled mind; desire coursing her veins as Itachi suckled and gently bit her nipples until she was aching to feel him. Yet there was still some rational part of her, thinking the consequence of their actions. She really didn't want to stay there for long.

Heaven was still a big mystery to her, and she wanted to find it out soon.

Sakura made a sound of protest as Itachi halted his ministration; his hand had been busy flicking and squeezing her nipple while the other one was gifted by Itachi's mouth.

Itachi peered up at her, his hand absently brushing the swell of her breast. "Do you really want to ascend to heaven?" He asked his eyes calculating.

Sakura bit her lips, suddenly regretting the question. She really wanted him, and couldn't survive in that place without Itachi pleasuring her in every way he can. Life there would be utmost boring without seeking Itachi's mastery in bed.

"Then I'll bring you there in no time," Sakura's eyes widen in surprise at his words and watched as he draw closer to her face.

"How?" Sakura asked, gazing up at his handsome features, which was pulled in their usual expressionless mask, but Sakura could see laughter lurking at the corners of Itachi's black tourmaline eyes.

"This," Sakura's gasped of surprise was muffled against Itachi's mouth as she felt him slide inside her.

A hot and yet familiar form, that intruded into her slick heat; taking and at the same time giving. Sakura tightly wrapped her legs around him, feeling him slipped into her further and further until he was buried deep inside her.

Pleasure erupting in Sakura's body, centered at the place where they were connected, her loins a hot and welcoming heat as the rivulets of desire intensified.

Sakura groan as Itachi raised her bottom, pulling her tightly against him, a hand propped beside her head as Itachi levered himself for a deep thrust.

"This is not what I meant," Sakura said as she felt him started to withdraw from her while her tight walls clung to him, hugging his shaft like a gloved.

She heard him sucked a breath, and sunk into her again; his hand aiding her bottom to move against his thrust. A loud mewls echoed through the room as Sakura desperately clutched his shoulder blades, her nails digging into his skin as Itachi picked up the pace, thrusting into her fast and hard.

"This is not what I meant of heaven." Sakura groan moving her hips in rhythm to his deep thrust, sliding her hand to grab his hair.

"But this is closer to one, doesn't it?" Itachi whispered against her mouth, his breathing labored as he moved.

Sakura could only moan in response, a sign of agreement.

Later, she found out that it was more than closer to heaven as she was brought to the limit each time Itachi was done with her.

The feeling of euphoria was lost as she gazed at the stars and light that seems to be the kaleidoscope of many galaxies. That was just a momentary heaven to her, yet which left her satisfied and content as she lay in her lover's arms.

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A galaxy far away, a barren planet which was name after other planets that was made identical to it, and venturing downwards towards the green lands where flowers was beginning to sprout and birds twittering happily as the spring envelop the entire land of the fire country.

On March 28 at exactly 6:00 a.m a child was born to the Haruno family. It was a girl with a thin crown of hair on her, she have sea foam eyes and a heart shape face.

She was name Haruno Sakura, after the cherry blossom and spring.

They were sure that she would grow beautiful and strong.

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_**Ero-jiji**_: I can't believe I just wrote a smut. This is not a part of the entire plot, but I did have to urge to write this down. So don't blame me for writing it down. I really don't know where that comes from. But I hope you enjoy it. This is crack-random-final chapter to RAVEN, which is not part of the entire plotline.

I will be updating my stories because my Christmas break has just started, and thank kami that my mom bought me a new monitor because the old one keeps on breaking down, and I hard time writing my stories because I'm still obstinate in finishing my stories. Now, that I have a new monitor and lots of free time, I will spend it with you my fellow readers. I will try my best to entertain you, but I highly doubt it because my stories seems to always stray from the original plotline. Did you know that I was going to make Sakura live as well as Itachi? And I was just planning to make the relationship between Itachi and Sakura more on companion bases.

At the start this was supposed to be a random fic bordering on crack fic, because I was planning to write how Sakura cut Itachi's hair with the thought that she was trying to save him, and then Itachi was going to signed her in for an in subordination, but Sakura tried to make a bargain with him, which really did not lift her predicament. Since Itachi was not allowing it to happen. So Sakura was skulking for the entire mission and her arguments with her Captain that she was only saving his life fell on deaf ears.

When they were almost near Konoha, having successfully accomplished their mission, Sakrua couldn't sleep. And found her Captain still awake, who was absently touching his shorten locks. After staring at him, guilt welling up on her for disobeying his command, leaving a wounded team mate and cutting his hair, Sakura was compelled to make amends with him. She was rather cynical when she had extended her hand to try and make good for Itachi's new hair-do.

Itachi just stared at her, and after a length of time considering her request, Itachi finally complied. Sakura began to cut Itachi's hair into an even length barely passing his broad shoulder, and once Sakura was done, she stared at her handy work with a smile lightening her face. Not noticing as how Itachi became interested at staring at her mouth, when Sakura looked up at him, Itachi had already diverted his attention back to the fire.

They were both position near the fire with Sakura bent beside Itachi, who was sitting with a leg drawn towards his chest. Shisui was injured but fine; sleeping like dead while Sakura become distracted toward light that shimmered on Itachi's silky hair as the fire light cast its glow over them.

Sakura had blurted out to her Captain that his hair was like the color of a raven's (and thus the title was derived. It's all about the hair.) Sakura was flustered after her stupidity and stumbled away from Itachi, who was looking after her with an interested gleam in his eyes.

The event was forgotten as soon was suddenly pulled out from Itachi's team, having been scolded by her shisui's for insubordination. Inuzuka was back on her team while Sakura began working on the hospital, every day dragging as she waited for her shishous to find her a team, but it was difficult since the Anbu Ops were already complete with three-man cell, no one had still passed the Anbu exams. And Sakura was frustrated after waiting for a long time, and when she discovered Itachi lounging inside her Hospital office.

She thought that her prayers were answered, and was quite devastated when she found out for the reason of Itachi's unexpected visit.

It was neither medical, nor from their profession that he was there.

Itachi came there for a hair cut, and he had bluntly stated that she was exceptionally well with the scissors and would gladly pay for her service.

Sakura was ready to kick him out from the hospital, but on second thought why not let him stay and be a little good parlorist?

With an evil smile hidden behind her cool façade, Sakura set to work and made Itachi's hair the talk of the town.

MUWAAAHAHAHAH……

That was supposed to be the true plot, but anyway. What's done is done. I've already finished the story.

There is also a different kind of version to Raven which would have been the good happily-ever-after to Sakura and Itachi. The ending was that, the one who died was Shisui and Sakura survived from the poison and live happily-ever-after with Itachi.

Another version is that, Shisui died and Itachi blame her for everything; for disobeying his orders and for getting poison, and thus they have to leave Shisui to seek immediate medical help. In this version, Itachi didn't feel in love with Sakura but instead Sakura fell hopelessly in love with him. She knew that Itachi was grieving for Shisui's death, and blaming some part of it on her but mostly himself.

So Sakura, could do in exchange for saving her life, and offered herself to him. At first she was just as silent shadow beside him, silently watching, caring for him until she finally and irrevocably fell in love with the desolate man. When she realized this, she tried to reject the emotion since Itachi clearly did not like her like that.

So she became his slave, trailing after him and fighting along with him. She had been assigned to Itachi's team permanently when Shisui died, and Sakura was loyal to her Captain. And her other team mate, Inuzuka notice her blind loyalty but did not comment about it since she knew that Itachi and Sakura were both held and tightly tangled together by two invisible strings that they could not break. Shisui's death held them together.

As time passes, and Sakura's love for her Captain seems to grow each passing year, she finally contented herself to just keep her terrible secret all to herself. But when one night when Itachi had entered her apartment, apparently wounded from his solo mission, something happen between them when Sakura had allowed him to stay for the night.

Their night of passion ruined their professional relationship, the images of their tangled and sweating body as they made love for the first time, which was first for Sakura when she had cried out in pain when Itachi entered her, had left them wanting for more.

Consume by lust and somewhat hidden feelings for Sakura's destruction, Itachi used her; until their passion erupted into a full blown dispute between them. When Sakura found out Itachi's true feelings and intention of just continue using her as a sex toy, Sakura went ballistic and shut her off.

The first thing she did was quit from Anbu and began working in the Hospital, forgetting everything that happen and what had transpired between Itachi and her. While Itachi went on a solo mission, their fight between him and Sakura, leaving a sour taste in his mouth and had destroyed everything on his way during his mission. While he had proceeded with his mission with a chaotic and a little bit reckless, he was attacked by the Akatasuki Organization, whose leader hadn't let the murderers of his brother go so easily.

Itachi had battled with all his power to defeat the numerous rouge-nin, until exhaustion catch up with him.

The following months, Konoha had declared Itachi dead after he went missing for more than 4 months. Sakura was devastated, and had secretly mourned for her lover, but still held hope that Itachi could be alive somewhere.

She wished was granted when Team 7 went out on the mission, where she came along and then ventured to inquire the past movement of Itachi when he was on that solo mission. After months of constant inquires and search for the whereabouts of her lover, and going out from the village with false mission.

Sakura found a lead, and instantly followed the winding path towards Itachi. But once she faces the puppeteer, who she could remember was the one who poison her, Sakura felt the strong will to defeat him. She had not back out from the fight and was prepared for everything. The poison that had been injected in her system was studied and she had found its antidote, which she had always brought with her in her medic bag.

She had swiftly dodged the poisonous senbons and watched his movement, carefully analyzing the shift and change of his fingers as he controlled his puppets. Sakura had destroyed each one of it as the red head pulled yet another scroll to summon another puppet though she have never been prepared for the sight of her beloved face wearing a battered Anbu uniform. Tears streak down her face as she stared at the puppet, and her resolve momentarily faltered, but she hold on to it by the barest of threads as she fought Itachi.

It was after she had been wounded by Itachi's katana's that her resolve return to her full force, her eyes glittering with determination. Itachi was dead and she has to defeat the man to avenge his death.

The antidote had run out and still she fought, until she had sunk her hands through the red head's heart. But she was mortally wounded, and once again, poisoned.

She was discovered two days later on the borders of the Hidden Village of Rain with Itachi's dead body beside her, katana's and kunais strewn all over the ground after the other rouge-nins discovered her when she tried to escape the Village. She was killed on sight, and that was the end of that version.

Both their death was inevitable.

Do you remember the scene where Sasuke stood over the cenotaph with Ino appearing behind him? It was supposed to be Itachi and Sakura, while the one who died was Shisui. I would have continued this story on that version that I have written above, but it would be long and to tell you honestly quite troublesome because I have more stories to attend to, that I have obviously neglected. So I have to end this story immediately and proceed to my forgotten works.

I will be updating 'The Shinobi Path' first then 'Once Upon a Touch'. I don't think I can't update the Hanami Dango yet, since the plotline for the second one shot was lost to me. So I have to regain it back before I write it. Then I would write Innocent Touches followed by A kiss between friends. The 'Dance of Seduction' is still under work because I'm still 45% sure what's supposed its plotline.

I'm also working with yet another story, and I don't think it's gonna come out soon because I have to finish my other stories. The Shinobi Path and Innocent Touches would probably exceed 20 chapters or more than that, I really don't. It depends on the amount of inspiration that I have from my readers.

So once again thank you for reading Raven and this chapter. I hope you would leave some reviews. If you're still confused about some stuff, just tell me.

**Ero-jiji is logging off.**


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